The last few years have seen a wave of powerful work-related trends emerge. Utilizing the power of social media, employees are able to shed light on workplace malpractices in ways that would give companies from the past nightmares.

We’ll be looking at one such trend today, the phenomenon of ‘loud quitting’ and the damage it can cause. Most importantly we’ll be laying out the signs to look out for that contribute to loud quitting, and some techniques to help stop loud quitting from ever rearing its ugly head.

The topic is quite heavy, so take this in with your meditative morning cup of coffee. Understanding what drives someone to do something loudly often takes contemplative silence.

What exactly is ‘loud quitting’?

Loud quitting is when a member of staff decides to leave their job in a particularly public and noticeable way. Some analysts pinpoint its arrival coming off the back of the slightly older ‘quiet quitting’ trend of 2022.

The worries about quiet quitting were justified in 2023, as studies reported up to 20% of Americans are reportedly actively disengaged at work. In contrast to quiet quitting, loud quitting is not passive, and it’s particularly damaging to a company as the person who is leaving will voice their stresses, workload and negative experiences directly to their peers, which can create a menacing ripple effect. 

As much as you want to fight it, social media’s role in organizational culture means that matters that used to be private can turn public in the time it takes to upload a video. TikTok has even seen new trends like the puzzling and worrisome nickname ‘Quittok’ emerging recently. For this reason, it’s imperative that you, as manager and leader of your teams, understand the weight and significance that loud quitting carries, and the leading causes of it.

So let’s get into the most common and significant root causes of loud-quitting.

What are the leading causes of loud quitting?

While some cases of loud quitting are specific to circumstances of just one workplace, there are certain recurring themes that a keen manager needs to keep an eye out for.

Lack of leadership

A lack of leadership is one of the most prominent root causes of staff loud-quitting, and as a manager, you know the amount of damage this can cause. When staff have a leader who doesn’t guide or support them, tensions can begin to build. When people aren’t hitting their quotas or metrics, an inevitable blame culture begins to develop.

When there’s a lack of leadership, morale takes a hit and productivity decreases. As staff lose trust in the person, grievances get aired more publicly, and this in turn leads to a higher turnover rate.

Address these issues as soon as you spot them and reassure your teams with what they need to hear. Communicate clearly and often, set a clear vision and provide support and resources to your staff as they need it. 

Ensure you’re using the power of recognition and motivation factors with your staff, and maintain an environment that not only prevents loud quitting but boosts overall employee satisfaction. Be the leader you know you can be.

Ethical concerns

A well-known real-life example of loud quitting over ethics came in 2013 when Greg Smith, a former executive director at Goldman Sachs, publicly resigned from his position by writing a scathing op-ed in The New York Times titled "Why I Am Leaving Goldman Sachs."

In his piece, Greg didn't hold back. He talked about how the company's culture had become more focused on making money off their clients than actually helping them. He even claimed some employees referred to clients as "muppets," showing just how little respect they had for them. By quitting so loudly and publicly, Greg wanted to shine a light on ethical issues, not just for himself but to hopefully spark change in the industry.

His bold move grabbed a whole host of headlines, resulting in a lot of people talking about ethics in the finance world. This is a prime example of loud quitting, making a big noise on your way out to highlight the problems you see.

Managing a conflict of this scale is no easy feat, so there’s no doubt a good manager spots the early warning signs of employee ethical concerns. Stay tuned in to their team to catch the early signs that someone might be considering a dramatic exit. Lead by example and demonstrate a commitment to ethical behavior in all aspects of your work, in the hope that your teams follow.

Toxic working environment

Here’s something that, if left unchecked, can create a dangerous breeding ground for staff to loud-quit, and that is a toxic working environment.

The potential damage of a toxic work environment can run deeper than just bottom-line monetary values. Future productivity can absolutely plummet when people are busy navigating toxic waters instead of working in harmony with the work environment. 

Without a culture of respect and safety, these workplaces leave employees sick, scared and looking for an exit. A 2023 survey of American workforces showed that 19% of respondents labeled their workplace as toxic, with more than 1 in 5 saying their working environment has harmed their mental health. That’s an alarming number.

As a basic rule of thumb, keep a zero-tolerance policy on any workplace bullying or harassment, and act swiftly any time it arises. Perhaps most importantly, listen. Really listen. Understand what makes your team tick, what makes them happy, and what's holding them back.

Learn what makes an environment toxic and strive to clean it before it becomes a ticking time bomb. Dive deep into employee retention strategies when needed and be proactive towards the happiness indicators of your teams. Keep their mental health in serious consideration when going through tough times to make sure the toxicity never causes loud quitting.

Lack of career advancement

There are many factors that can lead to an employee loud-quitting, and one of the most insidious and silent contributors is a lack of career advancement. So much emphasis is placed on tackling the issues of the here and now, that sometimes the prospects of a person’s future can be forgotten.

While it’s more likely that staff who feel a lack of career advancement will quit quietly over loudly, the growing trend of loud quitting might change this in the future. The damage from this can be twofold. Firstly, there's the loss of talent and expertise when the disgruntled employee decides to leave. Secondly, there's the potential for a ripple effect on team morale and productivity.

If your eyes are never set on the roads going forward, how would you know you aren’t driving down a cul-de-sac? It’s on you to keep check-ins regular, keeping the topic on their career dreams and aspirations. Insightful meetings like this help you create growth opportunity programs tailored to each person. 

Keep the promotion process as transparent as a clean window. Clear criteria, constructive feedback, and a culture of encouragement will help your staff see the light at the end of the tunnel and keep loud quitting shackled down.

Burnout (work/life balance)

Burnout is one of the strongest contributors towards loud quitting, as it can muddle its way into the home life of your staff, making them feel like their backs are against a wall. If tasks that should be done at work are taken home, the lines between work and personal life are blurred. Burning the midnight oil is not a safe activity for healthy and productive teams, and when the balance of work and life goes out of sync, staff are heading for a poisonous order of burnout.

Recent trends like the ‘Bare Minimum Mondays’ have started to shed light on changes in workplace cultures and the damaging effect of work-life imbalance. There are some experts who argue that this shift in thinking has become a positive tool, a way for staff who come in on Mondays and plan to do exactly what is necessary at work, nothing more. 

While there might be arguments to be made for some of its positive aspects, if you aren’t careful, a bare minimum Monday could evolve into a taskless Tuesday, and you don’t want that. Make sure you’re careful not to glorify overwork, and don’t equate dedication with success. 

Much more than just a lofty goal, a good work-life balance is a necessity for the health and productivity of employees. Introduce principles of holistic well-being to make sure your staff steer clear of burnout and never feel the urge to quit, loudly or quietly.

Poor organizational culture

Having a poor organizational culture at work can erode the productivity of the company from the inside out. From the recruitment process to executive decisions, it’s critical to recognize and remedy poor organizational work culture before it potentially leads to loud quitting.

Poor organizational culture can silently sabotage a workplace, affecting the quieter aspects at work like small interactions and attitudes. It demonstrates the personality of the company, and though it can start quietly, it can lead to an alarmingly loud endgame.

One such example showing how poor organizational cultures lead to a loud quitting endgame came in 2017. Susan Fowler, working at Uber, left in 2017 and created a blog post detailing publicly what she felt was a poor culture in the organization. 

Her loud quitting triggered a domino effect, with more employees coming forward with their own tales of woe at the company. Suddenly, Uber was under a microscope, facing investigations, top-level resignations, and a major culture overhaul.

The takeaway for a manager who wants to ensure their workplace culture is healthy is to let this serve as a reminder. Keep your ears to the ground at your workplace and don’t lose track of your soft skills when measuring the atmosphere among your teams. It isn’t business jargon to keep the vibes good at work, it can be an act of safeguarding your company’s future.

Workplace conflicts

Workplace conflicts can be a major contributor to the phenomenon of loud quitting. Left unchecked, that small disagreement you might not have thought twice about can lead to someone leaving the office as loudly as they can. 

The damage caused by workplace conflicts can be pretty heavy. The unwanted outputs can be stress, anxiety, and even physical health issues for the individuals involved.

So, how does a manager peacekeep most effectively? First off, crack open the channels of communication wide. Everyone should be encouraged to speak up and listen up when the conflict shows itself. There has to be a time period when everyone involved can air their grievances. You have to demonstrate that their engagement is important, and while it might not be a good idea for them to act only in the heat of the moment, their concerns are genuinely listened to and understood. 

You have to show heartfelt and genuine empathy when it’s needed. Help your team see things from each other's perspectives through methods that a star manager understands. That’s what you’re there for. Bring out your conflict resolution techniques, become the mediator and bring the opposing parties together, or encourage a bit of compromise.

Once the conflict is as out in the open as possible, highlight the importance of not pointing fingers. Get in there with them, help them roll up their sleeves and tackle the problem together. Shift the focus from blame game to problem-solving, perhaps bringing in some team-building activities to lighten the mood and build trust.

Keep the peace as chief of the village, dodge those loud exits, and keep the office atmosphere positive all year round.