Episode 229 - How To Re-engage A 'Quiet Quitter'

Summary 

Quiet quitting isn’t usually about laziness or a lack of motivation. Research suggests it’s often a sign that the relationship between an employee and their organisation has become unbalanced. Discover how leaders can spot the warning signs early and rebuild engagement through better conversations and clearer expectations.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to episode 229 of the Leadership Today podcast, where each week we share practical tips to improve your leadership. This week we explore how to re-engage a “quiet quitter”. 

Over the past few years, you’ve probably heard the term “quiet quitting” - the idea that some people are stepping back from their roles to just do the bare minimum. It’s one of those phrases that quickly gained popularity and sparked plenty of debate. Some people viewed it as a sign that employees had become less committed. Others saw it as a healthy rejection of unrealistic work expectations.

But the important question is what causes someone who was once engaged, enthusiastic, and willing to go the extra mile to start doing only the minimum required in the first place? Recent research suggests the answer has less to do with motivation and more to do with relationships and fairness.

Researchers studying quiet quitting have found that one of the strongest predictors is employees’ perceptions of the exchange relationship they have with their organisation. In simple terms, people compare what they’re contributing with what they’re receiving in return. When they feel the relationship has become unbalanced and they don’t see a way to improve it, they often respond by reducing their discretionary effort. Importantly, this doesn’t necessarily mean they’re planning to leave. Instead, they adjust their level of investment. They continue to do their job, but they stop contributing the extra effort that often drives innovation, collaboration, and performance.

The research also points to an important leadership influence. Teams whose leaders maintain regular conversations about both work and wellbeing appear less likely to experience quiet quitting. In other words, leaders who stay connected with their people are often better able to identify and address issues before disengagement takes hold. So what can you do to reduce the risk of quiet quitting?

First, have open conversations about expectations. Work relationships involve an ongoing exchange. What is the employee contributing? What are they receiving in return? Have either of those things changed recently? These discussions can sometimes uncover relatively small issues that, if left unaddressed, gradually erode engagement.

Second, make sure your one-on-one meetings cover more than just tasks and deadlines. It’s important to understand how people are feeling about their role, what’s energising them, and what’s becoming frustrating or difficult. These conversations often provide early warning signs that someone may be disengaging.

Third, if you notice a drop in effort or enthusiasm, get curious rather than critical. It’s tempting to focus on the behaviour itself. However, quiet quitting is often a symptom rather than the problem. Understanding what has changed is usually more productive than immediately trying to correct the behaviour.

The key point is that quiet quitting is rarely about laziness. More often, it’s a signal that something in the relationship between the employee and the organisation has shifted. As leaders, we may not be able to solve every issue, but we can create the conversations that help us understand what’s really going on. And often, that’s the first step towards rebuilding engagement.

Have a great week.

Research references:

Galanis, P., et al. (2023). The quiet quitting scale: Development and initial validation. AIMS Public Health, 10(4), 828 to 848. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10764970/

Dilchert, S., et al. (2026). Expanding Our Understanding of Quiet Quitting: Antecedents, Correlates, and Consequences. Human Resource Management. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/hrm.70038

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