Lacking passion for your job isn’t a crime. Neither is not living for your work. But some employees take disengagement a step further, sticking to the bare minimum — the whole “quiet quitting” trend. What can be done about these demotivated, and above all, disengaged employees? We put the question to HR consultants.
First, a reminder: lacking motivation at work is not grounds for dismissal.
“I can be unmotivated by my job, do the bare minimum, and still meet expectations,” says Alexandre Chamard, an HR consultant.
He acknowledges that a lack of motivation can still create other problems that could lead to dismissal. If the lack of motivation results in underperformance, for example, it’s the underperformance that should be “sanctioned.” That said, he offers a warning:
“In my opinion, an employee who openly displays disengagement is hiding something deeper than a simple lack of motivation. Rather than firing them and risking damage to the employer brand and company culture, I would investigate to better understand the situation and find possible solutions to improve it.”
Everyone has their own sources of motivation. Money, for instance, is generally not the top motivator that surveys and studies point to. By truly listening to their employees, a manager will realize the reality can be completely different — and surprisingly simple to address.
“Employees need to feel useful, recognized, and have the autonomy to do their tasks,” the consultant explains. “With that foundation in place, you can address most engagement issues — and with an adaptive mindset, you can work out the rest.”
The Burden Falls on the Employer
Karyne Robillard, an HR director, also emphasizes the importance of better understanding the problem, whether it’s individual or organizational.
“A proper meeting to understand the reasons behind the demotivation. Employees certainly have rights, but so does the employer — including the right to an honest day’s work and a healthy work environment for all employees,” she adds.
The director notes that an employer cannot fire someone without valid cause. At the same time, a company doesn’t have to tolerate a negative attitude without stepping in. Meet with the employee, document everything, determine whether there’s grounds to start a process (disciplinary or administrative), or seek help to check whether there’s a broader organizational problem. If the employee shows no willingness to turn things around and their performance is hurting the company, the employer must proceed step by step.
“Before firing an employee, the employer must have built a case file, whether administrative or disciplinary. The burden of proof is on them,” she insists.
An employee must have had the chance to improve with their employer’s support — the “administrative” route — or after a graduated series of sanctions, the disciplinary route, she explains.
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