Great Resignation and Quiet Quitting as Post-pandemic Dangers to Knowledge Management

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic aftermaths include the emergence of new tendencies, such as the Quiet Quitting, and continuation of trends such as the Great Resignation, both of which have multiple knowledge-related impacts on individual, organizational and even national level. The aim of this paper is to show the mechanisms behind the Quiet Quitting and the Great Resignation from individual and organizational perspectives. Understanding them is the first step to developing remedies and building business resilience. The paper uses systems thinking approach to analyse the phenomena of the Quiet Quitting. Causal loop diagrams are used to show the mechanisms behind those tendencies, their antecedents and the impact they have on several aspects of business operation and management. The Quiet Quitting and the Great Resignation are multifaceted phenomena and pose several knowledge-related dangers to organizations, including disturbed knowledge flows, knowledge loss, diminished efficiency, lost informal friendship networks, and knowledge leakage to competition. Causal loop diagram indicates that complicated relations between various elements may produce surprising and unexpected outcomes. It presents also opportunities to use leverage points in order to substantially reduce negative outcomes. The paper is of a conceptual nature. In order to transform causal loop diagrams into full systems thinking models extensive data is required. Hence this paper is intended as a basis for further research. The understanding of mechanisms behind the Great Resignation and the Quiet Quitting is crucial for managers trying to develop strategies that would tackle those problems. The papers shows what leverage points can be used to mitigate risks of their adverse impact on business organizations. The Great Resignation and the Quiet Quitting are often perceived as results of the COVID-19 pandemic, yet data suggest they remain strong also in the post-pandemic business reality. The paper offers a holistic approach to those phenomena using individual and organisational perspectives. It provides important insights into their nature, which can be useful to numerous stakeholders, including knowledge workers, managers and business owners.