top of page
Search
Dr. Tana M. Session
Oct 3, 2022

What does 'Quiet Quitting'​ have to do with Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging?

First published on LinkedIn.



When 'Quiet Quitting' first surfaced, I thought “Finally, people are recognizing themselves and their value, and are taking agency over their own career and growth!” …But then what I saw was an abundance of articles calling employees lazy, unmotivated and even used words such as ‘mentally checked out’.


The thing about ‘Quiet Quitting’ is that after 2.5 years, we still haven’t ‘level set’ and fully established what the ‘New Normal’ is – even Fortune 500 companies can’t agree on it!


Now...to many of those in leadership management, this can be a scary consequence in the workplace. However, we don’t want to make a premature judgment about new ideas or trends based on our initial reaction. And never make a decision when you are experiencing H.A.T.S. – Hungry, Angry, Tired or Scared. When ideas flow from one of these four emotions, we have to stop and think, "Am I being biased in some way?"


So what is ‘Quiet Quitting’ actually saying, and WHO is saying it?


What 'Quiet Quitting' is.

  1. A desire for greater work/life balance, which is especially important for supporting those in underrepresented groups.

  2. Particularly with younger generations, employees feel a lack of connection or guidance with their manager or supervisor.

  3. Talent is seeing growth and opportunities in areas outside the organization or department.

  4. Your direct reports don’t feel seen or heard; as a manager you don’t spend enough 1:1 time to check in with your team members.

  5. There is a lack of transparency or clarity around how your direct report’s work impacts the organization.

  6. Professionals viewing themselves as their own brand and therefore doing what’s best for their own career growth (after all…you are the CEO of Y-O-U!).

What 'Quiet Quitting' is not.

  1. Your employees being ‘lazy’ and doing the bare minimum (after all...they're doing exactly what is described in their job description).

  2. A trend where individuals are advocating for becoming a ‘bad employee.’

  3. Employees being overly demanding during a tight labor market.

How does Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB) connect with ‘Quiet Quitting’ and what can you do?

  1. DEIB entails investing and recognizing employees for their value and contributions to the organization.

  2. At the end of the day, this is feedback from your employees on how to improve the work culture in Corporate America.

  3. Particularly from underrepresented groups, individuals 'quiet quit' when they don't feel seen, are marginalized or lack a psychologically safe work environment.

  4. It's all about awareness and engaging the employee – if done poorly, it can lead to attrition and high turnover!

One final piece of advice I will leave with you is that it’s all about the Rule of Reciprocity – that internal sense of obligation we have as human beings to return favors, gestures or help we receive. And studies show when a new member of a group receives help - or establishes a social connection - that individual will feel more engaged and is more likely to stay. Psst! All EFFECTIVE leaders will leverage this.


So rather than measuring how much time or effort your employee is putting in, what value are you bringing as a manager?


As I say to my clients... people don't quit their jobs, they quit their managers!


ICYMI -


It's my honor to announce that I will be a panelist at LinkedIn's Talent Connect Summit on October 26th in Los Angeles.


I will be discussing 'Embracing diversity, equity & inclusion' alongside Megan Hogan, Goldman Sachs' Chief Diversity Officer where we'll dive into the world of DEI.


Hope to see you there!


My latest book Working While Black: A Woman's Guide to 'Stop Being the Best Kept Secret (R)'!! was recently recognized by the Fall NYC Big Book Award 2022 as the "Distinguished Favorite" for the category of African-American Nonfiction.

You can order a copy on my publisher's website, or Walmart, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.


TanaMSession.com was recently recognized by the LA Award Program as a Top Human Resources Consulting firm in Los Angeles. Thank you for the recognition!


OCTOBER OBSERVANCES & HOLIDAYS

This month is filled with diverse observances so do your research and be intentional about how you communicate this to your employees before creating any social media posts or external messaging.

Until next month... Be well and stay safe & healthy!

Comments

bottom of page