The generation gap becomes more apparent these days with the ‘quiet quitting’ philosophy. Quiet quitting is about doing only what the job description on your contract states and nothing more. This means not checking emails outside work hours and not doing additional tasks beyond their scope.
The baby boomers are not used to this setup. They are shaped by tough times. Though baby boomers were too young to remember the world war, they were raised by parents who have hardened through it.
In turn, this generation values hard work and stability. Perks, position, and prestige drive baby boomers. They relish long work weeks and define themselves by their professional accomplishments.
On the other hand, the younger generation blossomed in a more conducive environment. They tend to challenge the notion of traditional work. Millennials want to combine their passion with profit. They don’t tend to help someone else reach their profit benchmark if it’s not their own.
But, as with any differences, there can be compromises where both parties can work together harmoniously.
Communication is the key
It is a cliche but still holds true. In a workplace, effective communication allows work to be completed diligently, improves productivity, and saves time. More importantly, it develops a better relationship between management and employees.
Having a company directory wherein the employees can easily find the contact information of even the higher management can help with the situation. This can be handy when they feel that their immediate supervisor or an HR personnel is their problem.
Encourage your workers to express their office grievances to the management and not through their social media accounts. Additionally, offer tangible solutions to their work issues like inefficient processes.
Society knows that some wisdom comes only through old age. At the same time, the millennials can also give fresh eyes to the company process. Hence, a good collaboration between old-timers and new employees can result in a more productive workplace.
Evaluate the efficiency of the workflow
Employees have an in-depth view of the processes. Management should be open-minded about their suggestions regarding the workflows. If management disagrees with the proposed changes, clearly state the reason and not simply dismiss it.
Redundant tasks contribute to employee burnout. Automating simple tasks and utilizing software to streamline processes boosts productivity and may increase job satisfaction.
For example, copying and pasting from a spreadsheet the email addresses. Instead of using a spreadsheet, one may use a contact management app that allows contact sharing. The contact detail is entered only once in the centralized directory. Then, any authorized personnel can see it in autocomplete on their messaging platform’s recipient field.
Analyze the action-reaction cycle
Pay discrepancies are one of the leading causes of quiet quitting. If the workers feel they are just replaceable cogs in the machine, then, they will really be acting according to their wages.
Management must also be conscious of the effects of inflation. The baby boomers starting with desk jobs then can comfortably house and feed a family. However, millennials find it not that simple now. With staggering student loan payments, buying a house in the late 20s seems preposterous.
Hence, the younger generation tends to side hustle to keep up with the expenses. Management must be mindful of the personal financial situation of their workers. It will be a good indicator of how engaged the employees would be.
However, if managers tease a raise that never came into reality, it lowers the morale of the employee. “Deal with it” or endless “next board meeting” excuses promote the quiet quitting culture.
On the other hand, employees must also appreciate the leverages the company gives them. Human errors on the job, emergency leaves, and unproductive chunks of minutes are some aspects that management adjusts for the rank and file. The employee-employer relationship must be a balanced give-and-take atmosphere.
Give clear job descriptions
When writing the job contacts, HR must thoroughly consult with field managers as well as other people in that department to come up with an elaborate list of all the responsibilities and objectives of the new employee. They must include the expectations as well.
This will give the prospective employee of how heavy the role can be. It can be the deciding factor in whether he is up for the job or not.
As for the management, no need to waste time in training and processing the statutory of those who are not at par with the work environment even if they are highly qualified.
Define boundaries
In an ideal world, employees would have calculable and constant workloads. However, the business world is chaotic, and sometimes overtime is necessary. Nonetheless, there is a difference between clocking in extra hours during the busy season or waiting for a new hire to start and perpetual overwork.
Occasional email correspondence on urgent matters during weekends is acceptable. Per contra, habitual demand to check emails beyond the contracted work hours can be a sign of work inefficiency on the side of management, the need for additional manpower, or additional compensation to the employee for rendering extra hours in work.
Conclusion
Addressing quiet quitting should be not only on the side of personnel but on the management as well. In any case, both parties are adults who should be capable of amending differences and compromising.
