Quiet quitting. You’ve heard of it, and if you’re in the world of talent attraction or employer branding, you’ve probably seen its effects firsthand.

But if you haven’t, let’s make sure we’re on the same page.

In short, quiet quitting is doing the bare minimum. You’re showing up physically but you’ve checked out mentally. You no longer buy into the purpose of your company, and you only complete what must be done in order to coast on by.

And I’m willing to bet you know a quiet quitter. In fact, you probably know a few, given they make up 59% of the global workforce.

We know. Shocking right?

What’s more shocking is how much these employees are actually costing their companies (on top of their salaries, of course), especially when we consider the other side of the coin and the positive impact an engaged workforce can have.

According to research from Gallup, highly engaged teams exhibit 21% greater profits, and teams who score in the top 20% of engagement have a 41% reduction in absenteeism and 59% less turnover.

And guess what?

Employee advocacy can help you get there.

1. It creates a stronger sense of belonging

When people feel connected to their company, there’s much less chance of them switching to autopilot. Advocacy helps bridge this gap between your people and your brand by giving them a chance to share their personal experiences and represent your brand as they do.

It also helps them feel more connected to each other, bringing together teams and colleagues who wouldn’t necessarily cross paths in their day-to-day. This sense of belonging can make all the difference. Employees start feeling like they’re a key part of something bigger, and knowing that they’re contributing to the overall success of the company can be all the reassurance they need.

2. It gives your people a voice

One of the main reasons people disengage is because they don’t feel heard. Employee advocacy flips this script entirely by providing the framework for your people to share their stories and then amplifying them through the social media megaphone.

The key here is not limiting them to company updates, milestones, or events. In order to engage your people, they need to be able to tell their own stories in a way that feels genuine to them. Most importantly, they need to feel supported and valued when doing so.

Don’t underestimate the power of recognition when it comes to motivating and engaging your people.

Team members engaging in a collaborative meeting to boost workplace engagement

3. It provides growth opportunities

Quiet quitting often happens when employees feel stuck. They’re bored, unchallenged, or they’ve lost sight of their direction and purpose. With employee advocacy, you’re giving them the opportunity to step up to a new challenge and build their personal brand while doing so.

And that fresh learning and development opportunity could be just what they need. An incredible 86% of employees participating in employee advocacy programs reported a positive impact on their careers, proving a simple truth: growth reignites motivation. And you can’t improve your career without putting in the work now, can you?

While quiet quitting may be a growing workplace challenge, it doesn’t have to define your company’s culture. There are many ways you could approach tackling it, but with the added benefits employee advocacy provides, we definitely think it’s worth throwing into the mix of your potential solutions.

If you’re curious about launching an advocacy programme and why it’s Ogilvy’s number one influencer trend of 2024, look no further.