A recent yet popular workplace trend is taking employees across Europe—loud quitting. Unlike quiet quitting, loud quitting can be harmful to both employees and employers. It negatively impacts a business’s reputation, making it harder to attract high-quality employees.
On the flip side, organisations avoid hiring talents who engage in loud quitting in previous jobs to protect their reputation. In other words, businesses and talents stand to lose from it.
However, According to the State of the Global Workplace 2023 report by Gallup, nearly 1 in 5 global employees are loud quitting or disengaging at work. This survey included over 120,000 employees globally. Loud quitters often elucidate their frustrations on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Loud quitting is when employees are very unhappy with their jobs and are open about it. Unlike quiet quitting, where employees do just enough to get by without putting in extra effort, loud quitting involves actively and openly expressing discontent. These employees complain more about their company’s issues to the general public, refuse to do specific tasks, and may even join with colleagues to demand changes. Some loud quitters might undermine company goals or publicly shame the company to get what they want. It means a signal of major risks within an organization, as it often correlates with actively disengaged employees and increased stress levels.
They often leave in public and dramatic ways, sometimes announcing their resignation on social media before even telling their employer. They use these platforms to share their bad experiences, talking about toxic bosses, difficult colleagues, and dead-end projects.
Loud quitting is, more often than not, a result of unfair treatment in the workplace. It is mostly common among Gen Zs and based on unaddressed grievances.
Impact on Companies
Loud quitting is a sign of serious problems within a company that can’t be ignored. Actively disengaged employees feel more stressed at work. According to the State of the Global Workplace 2023 report, 56% of loud quitters experience much stress daily compared to 30% of engaged employees.
However, disengaged employees are more likely to quit. 61% of them are actively looking for a new job, while 43% are engaged employees. This constant turnover means more recruitment and training costs, disruption to workflow, and lower overall productivity. It can also damage a company’s reputation, making it harder to attract new talent and potentially losing business. Additionally, it can lead to disruptions that negatively affect employee morale, creating unease and disillusionment among remaining staff. It can lead to significant disruptions, resulting in ongoing projects being halted or delayed.
Causes of Loud Quitting
Loud quitting doesn’t just start out of the blue. It is often driven by employee dissatisfaction, which leads to a pattern of workplace behavior that eventually transcends to loud quitting and reputational damage for organizations.
Unresolved Grievances and Toxic Work Environment
Employees may quit if treated unfairly, are not recognized, or have unresolved conflicts, all of which contribute to low employee engagement. A toxic work environment with harassment or bullying can push them to the edge. When these employees feel their complaints are not taken seriously or appropriately addressed, they are more likely to be vocal about their dissatisfaction.
Employee Dissatisfaction: No Opportunities and Poor Leadership
Employees who feel stuck in their roles with no room for growth may choose loud quitting. Ineffective leadership, lack of transparency, and poor management practices can also lead to and frustration. Employees need to see a clear path for career advancement and opportunities for skill development. When these are absent, they may become disheartened and vocal about their dissatisfaction. Effective leadership and opportunities for growth can create an environment where employees thrive.
How to Prevent Loud Quitting
It is possible to prevent loud quitting from ever occurring in your team.
Focus on Employee Engagement
As an organisation, you can boost engagement by recognising and rewarding employees. Offer growth opportunities and a positive work culture for your team. Moreover, engaged employees are proud of their work and go above and beyond. Ensure you regularly listen to your team’s feedback and involve them in decision-making. Improving employee engagement can contribute to economic growth by reducing disengagement and its associated costs.
Fix the Underlying Issues
Listen to your team’s feedback and fix grievances or toxic behaviours in the workplace. Open communication channels and policy and management training can help. Employees must feel heard and valued. Anonymous feedback and immediate action on reported issues can build trust and prevent loud quitting.
Be Transparent and Trustworthy
Transparency in compensation, promotions, and company decisions is essential. One of the main causes of loud quitting is employees feeling unfairly treated. Focus on building a positive environment where employees are comfortable speaking up without fear of retaliation. Moreover, regular feedback and open communication build trust and prevent dissatisfaction. Clear communication on your company goals can also change and manage expectations and prevent miscommunication and frustration.
How to Reduce Loud Quitting?
To reduce the likelihood of loud quitting, your business needs to address employee complaints and grievances quickly and effectively. Complaints can range from minor issues like lunch theft or workspace problems to serious issues like workplace harassment. Review your team’s progress and grievance and complaint redressal channels to make sure they are working. By recognizing and addressing the needs of quiet quitters, companies can prevent them from becoming loud quitters.
If the issues are more serious, companies may need to take bigger actions, like reviewing policies or providing more training to senior management. Improving diversity and inclusion activities and sensitivity training can also ensure that all employees feel welcome and valued.
Feedback channels without fear of reprisal are key. Employees should feel they can speak up without risking their jobs, being passed over for promotions, or other forms of retaliation. Addressing these concerns can reduce frustration and prevent loud quitting.
Minimising the Impact of Loud Quitting on Employee Morale
The best action for organisations to reduce the damage when loud quitting happens by staying calm and composed. Quiet quitting refers to a more subdued withdrawal compared to the dramatic nature of loud quitting but both have their impact. Here are some steps to consider to minimise the impact:
Conduct Exit Interviews
Talk to employees who are leaving to understand their reasons. This can give valuable insights into what’s going wrong in the organisation and what needs to be fixed. Knowing the reasons can help make changes to prevent future occurrences.
Open Communication
Keep the remaining employees informed about the situation to prevent gossip and maintain morale. Clear and transparent communication can reduce uncertainty and build trust. Let them know what’s being done to address the issues raised by the leaving employee.
Learning
Treat loud quitting as a learning opportunity. Use the feedback from exit interviews to identify areas to improve. Make the changes that will boost engagement and retention and make the organisation a better place to work.
Final Thoughts
Loud quitting is a growing phenomenon that can significantly impact organisations. Organisations can reduce the risk and improve overall employee engagement and retention by knowing the reasons and taking the right steps to prevent the damage.
A positive work environment is key. Focus on collaboration, transparency, well-being and respect. Employees who feel valued in the organisation will be happy and engaged in their work. This leads to higher job satisfaction and organisational growth.
FAQs on Loud Quitting and Quiet Quitting
Here are some frequently asked questions about loud quitting and quiet quitting.
1. What’s the difference between loud quitting and quiet quitting?
Quiet quitting is when employees do only what’s required and don’t go above and beyond. They disengage silently and may gradually reduce their effort. Quiet quit is when employees disengage silently without formally resigning.
Loud quitting is when employees openly express dissatisfaction and are actively disengaged from work. Loud quitters make their displeasure known, often through public complaints and dramatic exits.
2. Why do employees loudly quit?
Employees might loudly quit due to unresolved issues, a toxic work environment, a lack of growth opportunities, or poor leadership. When employees feel their concerns are being ignored or mishandled, they may resort to loud quitting to get attention and force change.
3. How do we prevent loud quitting?
Companies can prevent loud quitting by improving engagement, addressing the underlying issues, being transparent, and having open communication channels. Key to this is providing clear career paths, recognising employee achievements, and creating a supportive work environment.
4. What are the signs of loud quitting in the workplace?
Increased complaints, refusal to do tasks, public shaming of the company, and dramatic resignations announced on social media are all signs. Employees may also form groups to demand change or undermine company goals.
Monitoring employee satisfaction and addressing issues quickly can help identify and reduce the risk of loud quitting.
5. What does loud quitting do to a company’s reputation?
It can damage a company’s reputation by making it hard to attract and retain top talent. It signals big internal issues that need to be fixed to maintain a positive work environment.
Companies with frequent loud quitters are seen as having poor management, which can deter potential hires and impact business partnerships.
