Is your farm or ag business one of the many companies experiencing the recent trend of employees quiet quitting?
"Quiet quitters" make up at least 50% of the U.S. workforce. Let’s dive into what it means, why it’s happening, and what you can do about it.
What is quiet quitting?
Quiet quitting is when an employee is still working for your company, but is putting forth the bare minimum effort required to keep their job. They are going through the motions, feeling detached from their work, and not going above and beyond in their job duties. It is the opposite of an engaged employee, who is enthusiastic about their work and committed to the organization’s overall success.
Why are employees quiet quitting?
There are a number of reasons why employees are quiet quitting. They may feel burned out, lack work-life balance, feel they aren’t being recognized, feel stuck in their career, or simply aren’t satisfied with their job or workplace. It could also have to do with personal things impacting their ability to perform their best at work.
While quiet quitting can be caused by a multitude or combination of factors, you may wonder why these employees don’t just quit those jobs and move on to find something that better suits them? Well, in a competitive and uncertain job market, quiet quitters aren’t willing to take the risk of being out of work.
Why it matters
Quiet quitting poses several challenges for farms and ag businesses. When your employees are performing the bare minimum and aren’t committed to their work, they aren’t giving maximum output. This means employees aren’t bringing a positive ROI, contributing new ideas, collaborating effectively, or performing their best work.
Not only can quiet quitting employees negatively impact the sales of your products and services, but also your company's morale and overall culture. This makes it more difficult to hire and retain employees, too.
What to do about it
If you suspect you may have some current quiet quitters on your team, or you want to get ahead to prevent this trend from impacting your organization, here are some tips to help engage your employees and drive higher productivity and better overall workplace satisfaction.
1. Evaluate leadership engagement
If your management isn’t engaged, you can’t expect their team to be. Encourage managers to regularly check in with their teams, not just regarding tasks, but also on their job satisfaction and workloads. Provide leadership training to ensure management is approachable and communicative.
2. Recognize and reward employees
Whether it’s a simple “thank you” or a formal incentive program, consistently recognizing your employees for their work can go a long way in keeping them engaged and feeling appreciated.
3. Promote work-life balance
Encourage time off, mental health days, breaks, and allow flexibility where you can. Burn out and lack of balance can quickly lead to disengagement and quiet quitting.
4. Re-evaluate pay and benefits
Are your pay and benefits packages competitive with the current market? Employees may be more likely to disengage when they feel that their pay is not in alignment with their job duties.
Benchmark your pay and benefits regularly with industry standards. When raises aren’t feasible, consider offering other perks such as more PTO, company-paid lunches, stock options or profit sharing, mental health support, etc.
5. Offer growth and development
Whether it’s a clearly defined growth track within the company or a stipend for continuing education, contributing to employees’ growth and development can prevent them from feeling “stuck” or unsatisfied at work. Consider offering opportunities for cross-training, attending conferences, or taking online courses.
6. Gather feedback
Conduct anonymous employee surveys for feedback, allowing you to address concerns before employees reach disengagement. Work to foster an environment where open communication is encouraged between employees and leadership. Also consider conducting stay interviews with your current employees.
Conclusion
Quiet quitting isn’t usually caused by laziness, but instead, unmet needs. By investing in your employees’ engagement, development, and well-being, you will build a stronger, more loyal workforce of employees who exceed ROI expectations.
Keep in mind that implementing changes to better engage and satisfy your employees takes time, and doesn’t happen overnight. Pick 2-3 initiatives to begin working towards rather than trying to do a complete overhaul all at once.
Want more on improving employee engagement? Check out this article from AgHires founder, Lori Culler.
