Advance Advice

One of my favorite bands in college for a while was The Tubes. They had a top ten hit in 1981 with Talk to Ya Later (in re reading the lyrics it is oh so 80’s, narcissism and toxic masculinity abounds, but hey, it was the 80’s 😊)  Partial Lyrics include “I’ll talk to ya later, don’t want to hear it again tonight, I’ll just see you around.  Get out!! I’m telling you now, Do you catch my drift?  What could be plainer than this? Nothin’ more to be said! Write me a letter instead. I don’t mean to be cruel – But I’m finished with you!  Sounds a lot like the latest workplace trend – LOUD QUITTING.

Loud quitting involves an employee making a scene or openly expressing perceived negative aspects of their working experience before or during resignation. This phenomenon grew out of The Great Resignation, similar to quiet quitting. This term is the opposite of quiet quitting and is related to bare minimum Mondays, quiet firing, and employee turnover and grumpy staying.

Loud quitting in the workplace is all about making a big exit and a statement. Rather than simply disengaging or quietly resigning, workers cause conflict or actively call out working conditions. In this phenomenon, the employee leaves their job boldly and expressively, ensuring that colleagues and superiors can’t ignore their experience. This kind of quitting often involves making strong statements, having heated arguments, or pulling off dramatic actions, all in an attempt to send a  message about why the worker is leaving.

Loud quitting involves an attention-grabbing departure, while quiet quitting involves a more subtle and discreet approach. Individuals who quietly quit may not overtly express discontent or reveal intentions. Instead, these teammates may gradually disengage from their responsibilities, become less proactive, or seek alternative employment opportunities discreetly.

The causes of loud quitting often stem from dissatisfaction, feeling undervalued or underappreciated by their employer, be frustration with the company culture. They may also be unhappy with their job duties or feel that they do not have opportunities for growth and development.

The effects of loud quitting can be significant for both the employee and the employer. For the employee, loud quitting can be cathartic and empowering. It can also help them to feel heard and validated in their concerns. However, it can also lead to negative consequences such as difficulty finding future employment or damage to professional relationships.

For employers, loud quitting can be disruptive to business operations and can lead to negative publicity. It can also damage morale among the remaining employees, and lead to increased turnover rates.

In researching for this post, I ran across advice like this; “If you are considering loud quitting your job, it is important to carefully consider the potential consequences before taking action. You should also make sure that you have another job lined up before resigning from your current position.”  

As an employer and leader (30+ years and counting as a boss/owner) my appeal would be “PLEASE DON’T”, and I make that appeal not entirely selfishly.  Sure, loud acrimonious exits are painful and disruptive, and sure, sometimes I/We as leaders need some “comeuppance” but the ancient wisdom of one reaps what one sows, and the golden rule is best (NOT he who has the gold rules, the other one) but the sweet catharsis of telling somebody off in the evening is often bitter in the morning.  That doesn’t mean staying in a bad environment, it means one should leave, if, after clearly communicating to those who can make changes and they can’t or won’t.

There are several strategies that employers can use to prevent loud quitting like working intentionally to foster an environment that values employee engagement and satisfaction. Regular communication (i.e. listening first) with employees, can lead to creative opportunities for  development and training.  As much as is possible, competitive compensation and benefits help as well.  Encouraging collaboration and teamwork, and recognizing employee contributions speaks volumes.  Simple, honest, relevant appreciation goes farther than you think.

Finally, it is important for employers to provide support for employees who are struggling with work-related stress or other issues. This can include offering counseling services or other resources to help employees manage their stress levels and maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Stay Curious my friends,

Blaine