Are our brains wired to quiet quit?

Quiet quitting - the phrase is now regularly splashed across headlines and while it may seem new, it is really the most recent expression of a fundamental aspect of human nature: in the face of persistent and inescapable internal and/or external stressors, some people will tend to respond by simply giving up. Scientists have called this 'default passivity' and it offers an explanation to the quiet quitting phenomenon we hear about.

If quiet quitting happens when employees feel 'trapped' and hopeless, then what can leaders do to prevent them feeling this way? How can leaders re-wire team members' brains? Can coaching help leaders toward that objective?

Coaching can absolutely help leaders delegate and give more autonomy; or create opportunities to share ideas and feedback; or look at ways the work is organized to identify more opportunities for learning - all of which can be some triggers to more meaningful work for the employees themselves.

The brain craves choices; the more employees feel they have choices and a voice, the more they’ll feel the need to respond in productive ways.

Get in touch if you'd like to explore how to re-engage your team to prevent quiet quitting situations.