Quiet Quitting and the Future of Work

“Quiet quitting” is the term used to describe an employee who has “checked out”.  They may or may not be actively exploring other opportunities.  They are no longer engaged or enthusiastic about their work.  They are doing the bare minimum in terms of productivity.  Signs of someone who is quiet quitting may include a marked difference in overall effort, noticing someone is no longer contributing in meetings and/or seems like they have lost their enthusiasm for the work.  This is an important opportunity to reengage the employee before it is too late.

Quiet quitting often occurs when the work has become mundane and the employee no longer feels challenged.  Employees who are not receiving development opportunities are at the greatest risk for attrition.  In our experience, a structured mentoring program done well can be a powerful way to combat this phenomenon and increase the overall engagement of your workforce.

A well-executed structured mentoring program is an incredible way to meet employees where they are developmentally.  In addition to being a powerful tool for efficient skill development, a mentoring program ensures access to relationships and hits many of the key drivers for what keeps employees engaged, which include:

• Having caring, competent and engaging senior leaders
• Effective managers who keep employees aligned and engaged
• Effective teamwork at all levels
• Job enrichment and professional growth
• Valuing employee contributions
• Concern for employee well-being

In addition to addressing the key drivers for employee engagement, a structured mentoring program can be a powerful tool for aiding in succession planning, knowledge transfer, inclusion and belonging, talent attraction, efficient skill development, improving communication, removing barriers and silos, helping leaders spot talent, and building leadership capacity at all levels.

Quiet quitting isn’t new.  Employees today have many options and the employers who will attract the very best talent are the ones who will ensure employees at all levels are supported, engaged, and who see a path.  Access to mentoring relationships is a critical piece of this strategy.

At Engage Mentoring, we help employers of all sizes construct mentoring programs that are scalable, measurable, and impactful.  To learn more, visit engagementoring.com

Alison Martin is the Founder and Managing Director of Engage Mentoring, a software-enabled leadership development program that helps companies attract, retain, and develop their talent through strategic mentoring initiatives. For more information, visit www.engagementoring.com.