Leaders Say Surveillance Of ‘Quiet Quitters’ Doesn’t Work But 3 Steps Do

The option to work remotely is a major draw for job seekers applying to jobs, whether they are just entering the workforce or have been in it for decades. Job seekers are hunting for the flexibility of working remotely, according to a Conductor survey that analyzed Google search volume on the topic and found that in the past year “entry level remote jobs” increased by 309% up until Aug 18, 2022. After the uptick in quiet quitting and now the latest Bureau Of Labor Statistics report citing declines in productivity, however, some employers are turning to worker productivity scores and employee monitoring as a solution.

When The Workplace Has A Big Brother Vibe

Should employees expect their workplace to resemble Big Brother from here on out? Pat Petitti, economist and CEO at Catalant, argues that employee surveillance tools merely measure busyness, not productivity—and there's a critical difference between the two. "While monitoring productivity in such a highly transactional way might seem like an exercise in efficiency,” Petitti told me, “it comes at the expense of worker autonomy and trust, and just on a personal level feels disrespectful and patronizing.”

As someone who works with both independent freelance consultants and 30% of the Fortune 100 companies, Petitti was adamant that companies that use surveillance of employees as a tool don’t have a productivity problem. They have a culture problem. “It goes against building a successful business,” he said. “There's no way we'd use a tool like this or encourage clients to use it. For one thing, our clients are solving project-based business problems and are rarely paying by the hour so this would have little relevance, but even if they were, as a customer, do I really care if a freelancer is toggling between windows or taking mental health breaks to stay alert and focused? Do I care exactly how they time-box their work? Not at all. If the goal is clear, it's up to the freelancer to know how to achieve it productively, and only that freelancer knows the best way to use their time."

The Direction Leaders Recommend

Peter “PJ” Jackson, CEO at Bluescape, agrees that monitoring productivity isn’t a solution for “quiet quitting.” Although quiet quitting should alarm employees, he says it is an inflection point for leaders to fortify their business and make it a place where employees love to work. But not only is the Big Brother vibe going to backfire, it’s the wrong direction. Instead, Jackson outlines three directions that employers need to take:

1. No more above and beyond. Job descriptions should be exhaustive and outline the exact expectations of a role. If a manager notices someone on their team is going the extra mile, that should be rewarded with an expanded list of responsibilities, title change, increased compensation and support staff if appropriate.
2. Encourage and respect work/life boundaries. Quiet quitting is born from burnout and a belief that there isn’t an alternative. Senior management and business leaders must ingrain boundaries and consequences for disregarding them into the fabric of the company. This, in concert with recognition tactics, is critical in preventing burnout and cultivating a culture where professionals can thrive.
3. Innovating the 9-5. Quiet quitting has the potential to spark a new era of innovation. With quiet quitting, employees are quitting the undue stress that has seeped into other aspects of their lives. This has the potential to spark new ways of working that prioritize intuitive methods, alleviate anxiety and do away with norms that aren’t serving the integrity of the work.

Bryan Adams, CEO and founder of Ph.Creative told me that as leaders write a new playbook to navigate these trying times, they must focus on workplace well-being as an essential coping tool. “Leaders must now provide more flexibility and benefits that cater to the new basic requirements for real wellness,” he said, agreeing with Petitti that leaders must, “Increase trust and autonomy to do the right thing by people and provide unprecedented levels of real-time policy change and evolution to keep up with unfolding changes and responsibility for employees.”

Chris von Jako, President and CEO at BrainsWay agreed. When I asked him about quiet quitting, he said quiet quitting isn’t due to a lack of passion or motivation but a protection around mental health, even if it’s subconscious. He gave sage advice for how business leaders can mitigate the spread of the problem and minimize damage to company morale and success. “By reevaluating processes using real-time feedback from employees. Issuing surveys and collecting anonymous feedback on what employees really want from their role and then working together to implement appropriate changes, such as flexible work hours, hybrid work options, monthly ‘no questions asked’ mental health days and adding stricter policies around messaging employees outside of office hours. Overall, we have to begin by listening and be ready to embrace change,” he concluded. “History tells us that change happens with or without us onboard.”