What is conscious quitting?
Ever heard of conscious quitting? In the U.S. and U.K., it is a growing phenomenon among younger workers. Here's what it consists of and why companies are running for cover
- Conscious quitting: here's what it consists of
- We are in the era of conscious quitting
- Young people prefer companies that "save" the planet
- Conscious quitting: more and more workers are quitting their jobs
- What companies can do to run for cover
It's called conscious quitting and it's the buzzword that's spreading among workers, especially younger workers, and it's scaring companies. What does it consist of? It is the exact opposite of quiet quitting, the practice of employees dissatisfied with their occupation, but unable to leave it, to perform only essential tasks. Conscious quitting is conscious abandonment. Instead of continuing to work doing the bare minimum, workers who disagree with company values express their dissent by leaving.
Conscious quitting: here's what it consists of
Kicking off this trend, which is spreading even more than quiet thriving, was the Covid-19 pandemic. This is the finding of the Net Positive Employee Barometer, a report commissioned by Paul Polman, former CEO of Unilever. The study, conducted among four thousand workers in the United States and the United Kingdom, found that a significant proportion of employees are leaving occupations where their values do not align with those of their employers. In addition to taking care of their own financial needs and personal well-being, professionals want to work for companies committed to addressing major challenges such as climate change or economic inequality. If corporate values do not match their own, they prefer to quit.
We are in the era of conscious resignation
Fifty-one percent of U.S. and 45 percent of British employees surveyed for the research said they would consider leaving a job where the values did not match their own. In both countries, 33 percent of workers said they have already left their jobs for this reason. Many are even taking pay cuts in order to join more conscious companies. "All these numbers are even higher for Millennials and Generation Z," the report says, "we are entering an era of conscious resignation."
Young people prefer companies that "save" the planet
Younger employees are afraid of the future and are asking questions that need urgent answers. They wonder what they are doing with the precious time they have, how they are using it. "They want to give their time and skills to companies that have a positive impact on our planet and society, and that offer hope," the research states. "Many realize that their employers are trying to be 'less bad,' but they also feel that this is still not enough."
Conscious quitting: more and more workers are quitting.
Among the employees surveyed, many also expressed distrust of their bosses, as they believe they are motivated only by personal profit. This kind of attitude is of great concern to companies, which risk seeing the best minds flee. But what can employers do to keep their employees from "running away"? The study suggests that business leaders focus on three main areas: setting goals the world needs, being better at communicating, and holding their workers accountable.
What companies can do to run for cover
Companies need to be ambitious enough to set goals that are urgently needed, not ones that are easy to achieve. Second, communication with employees should be open, meaningful and two-way. "This is the only way to restore employees' confidence that their company is taking the actions it should," the report says. Finally, business leaders should enable employees to have greater roles in the organization's initiatives.
