Quiet quitting: The true cost of disengaged employees
Unhappy and unfulfilled employees result in financial loss, poor customer service, lacklustre performance and more. Here’s some top tips on how to inspire unenthusiastic workers
Quiet quitting is on the rise and it's costing organisations money. According to Gallup’s global workplace report for 2022, just 9% of workers in the UK were engaged or enthusiastic about their work, ranking 33rd out of 38 European countries, with the same report suggesting that disengagement can cost a company up to 34% of the employee's salary. But, a disengaged employee doesn't just result in a financial loss, it also impacts on customer service, performance and even employee safety.
In reality, quiet quitting isn’t a new phenomenon. Presenteeism (being physically present at work, but unproductive) has been around since work began, with organisations doing their best to ensure their workforce is engaged and fulfilled and are willing to make ‘discretionary effort’, or to ‘go the extra mile’.
Yet, the events of the past couple of years have stretched and squeezed employees to such a degree that many are reevaluating how much energy and commitment they’re prepared to put into work, with priorities shifting to home and family.
