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Three Tips to Help Businesses Manage Quiet Quitting
Amid the rise of “quiet quitting” and with questions on how business owners and HR leaders should react, iStock has released new research during World Mental Health Month about new attitudes that have impacted how life in the workplace is being visualized in advertising and media and the wider effect it can have on younger employees engagement.
According to VisualGPS, an iStock research initiative, one out of three Gen Z and Millennials globally (41%) are more focused on having a better work/life balance than in attaining job security (29%). The findings also reveal that younger generations are reconsidering and redefining “success” to be more inclusive of their overall well-being, with 54% strongly believing that a successful life is one in which their physical, mental, and emotional needs are being met.
This research seems to align with the “quiet quitting” generational divide effect demonstrated by a recent YouGov survey These findings revealed that 82% of adults surveyed who are 65 years and older believe that employees should always go above and beyond at work, yet only half of the younger adults between 18 to 29 agreed. Furthermore, this same group of young adults (65%) believe employees should do exactly what they’re paid for – not more, not less. Most of the older adults (72%) didn’t relate to not going the extra mile.
VisualGPS research also found that among all generations, Gen Z and Millennials are the most eager to achieve job/career success (40%) and are prioritizing their financial security (55%) above all else. This data suggests they don’t wish to detach completely from their working lives. Also, 48% consider that it is important to them to have a job/career they are passionate about, and 40% feel motivated about finding financial success.
For business owners or HR and internal communications leads looking to promote new policies showing their commitment to younger employees around their well-being, iStock’s Global Head of Creative Insights, Dr. Rebecca Swift, shared three takeaways to better manage quiet quitting:
Gen Z and Millennials take mental health seriously, so visuals showing what young people do to gain peace of mind will resonate with them. Our Visual GPS research revealed that contrary to popular belief, in fact, Gen Z and Millennials (53%) are more likely than Baby Boomers (41%) to find it hard to keep up with the pace of today’s world. While all generations agree that people should talk about mental health, younger generations are more likely than Baby Boomers to tackle their problems independently, through stress management techniques or meditation.
The younger generations at the helm of the “creative class” are twice as likely to learn a new skill or engage in artistic activities like crafting, painting, and photography rather than only practicing relaxation exercises. This is an opportunity to connect with younger employees by celebrating the ways they prefer to improve their mental health, using imagery, videos, and illustrations showing them doing activities that push them to “slow down.”
Our VisualGPS research revealed 7 out 10 of Gen X and Baby Boomers consumers say technology helps them feel connected to others. This situation is inverted for Gen Z and Millennials — nearly half blame social media for making their relationships worse. This means younger generations are relying less on technology to feel connected to the world, 40% perceive social media’s main benefit is that it keeps them entertained. It’s more likely that your younger employees will resonate with visuals that show the power of technology to assist or improve their daily life in ways that also allowed them to switch off their brains from work. Choose visuals that show the right balance between relying on technology, but don’t forget that, sometimes, young people use technology to unplug, too.
To find imagery and videos that better visualize workplace mental health, visit https://www.istockphoto.com/ and for more information, download our guidelines here.
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