← Return to Posts

Today's Leadership Challenges Mirror Yesterday's Problems

August 19, 2022 SHIFT

 

quiet-quitting-trend
Have you heard of the "Quiet Quitting" trend sweeping social media?

It's the latest way to describe how employees commonly respond to burnout – but the trend is far from new.

"Quiet Quitting" is a repackaging and marketing of something that's existed for decades.

Past research shows that 55% of the workforce that is disengaged are "sleepwalkers" – those doing just enough to skate by at work. They aren't actively working against company goals and vision, but their passivity is just as dangerous. Those who "quit and stay" fall in the same descriptive category.

What can people leaders do?

Andrew Freedman believes the remedy includes a holistic or systems-based approach to building a healthy and high-performing culture. This approach isn't for the faint of heart. It takes courageous leadership to get to the root of the issues leading to distrust and disengagement.

These issues (and opportunities) can be traced back to these six interdependent issues:

thrive-models-of-exemplary-performance

When these influences are aligned with organizational vision, values, strategies, and goals, the outcome is a team who goes far above and beyond the bare minimum.


What Should be Top of Mind for Leaders Today

top-of-mind-for-leaders

💬 What's one reason why remote leaders must consistently strive to communicate more effectively?

For people with the tendency to overthink, the lack of face-to-face communication in a remote culture can increase uncertainty and result in overthinking spirals.

What do hybrid employees need to stay engaged?

This HBR article puts it perfectly – Companies must "offer today's remote and hybrid workers experiences that address their human need for the authentic connection, team bonding, and fun that used to come with in-person proximity at the office."

Do investments in technology-facilitated recognition positively impact employee well-being and retention?

Recent studies say yes. Unfortunately, a Gallup report found that only 22% of respondents said their organization uses a digital recognition platform. Discover what the other 78% of organizations are missing out on.


Key Takeaway

From promoting effective communication and recognition to alleviating burnout, the solution always boils down to authentic connection.

Lack of connection leads to employees being 6x more likely to leave within three years

employees-feel-less-connected-to-work-culture-peers

Want to learn how you can tackle your organization's biggest challenges by unlocking the power of authentic connection?

Our Managing Partner and Culture Expert, Andrew Freedman, is offering free 1:1 working sessions for the first 5 people to book time on his calendar. No strings attached – first come, first served.

SAVE YOUR SPOT

 

Join our Stories that SHIFT Newsletter

Subscribe to get your dose of inspiration, stories, resources, and entertainment delivered straight to your inbox. You’ll be happy you did!

Shoutout to our teammates Julie Gelb, Andrew Freedman, and Misti Aaronson who helped shape this week's edition of Stories that SHIFT.

New call-to-action

 

TOPICS: Workplace Innovation, leadership, stories that shift