41% Of Uk Staff Considering Quiet Quitting, HR Leaders Warned To Act Early

• 25% of employees admit to quiet quitting in the last 12 months
• 41% say they’ve seriously considered it
• Top causes include feeling undervalued (21%) and unclear career progression (15%)
• Disengaged employees deliver 21% less output, costing almost £80k per team annually
• New research from instantprint reveals that one in four UK office workers have ‘quiet quit’ in the past year, with a further two in five seriously considering it. This silent disengagement — where employees meet minimum job requirements but mentally check out — is costing businesses an estimated £80,000 per team each year in lost productivity.
  
  The
  
  survey of 2,000 UK office workers found that the average disengaged employee contributes 21% less output than their engaged peers. Across a team of 10, with the average UK salary at £37,430 (ONS, 2024), that’s £374,300 worth of salaries delivering reduced value. A 21% drop equates to about £78,600 lost each year, conservatively rounded to “£80,000.”
  
  Why are employees switching off?
  
  instantprint’s study identified the top ten main reasons employees cited for workplace burnout:
  
  1. Feeling undervalued or unrecognised – 21%
  2. Unclear career progression – 15%
  3. Excessive workload or unrealistic deadlines – 14%
  4. Poor management or lack of support – 11%
  5. Low pay compared to responsibilities – 10%
  6. Lack of flexibility – 9%
  7. Toxic workplace culture – 7%
  8. Insufficient staffing – 6%
  9. Lack of resources – 4%
  10. Blurred work–life boundaries – 3%
      • Shadow days with senior leaders – Show employees how their work impacts the bigger picture.
      • Small wins recognition – Publicly acknowledge even minor improvements to build confidence.
      • Switching up project roles – Offer temporary changes to refresh interest.
      • Quarterly career check-ins – Separate from reviews, focus solely on aspirations and growth.
      • Micro-changes in workload – Trial small adjustments to reduce pressure points.
• Spotting a quiet quitter
  
  The research also revealed seven common red flags, including declining participation in meetings, reduced communication, clock-watching, avoiding new projects, lower work quality, social withdrawal and increased sick days around high-stress periods.
  
  Expert insight: Vicki Russell’s five-step re-engagement plan
  
  Vicki Russell, Head of TX (HR) at instantprint, says managers need to act early and empathetically to re-engage disengaged employees.
  
  “Quiet quitting is rarely about laziness — it’s about disconnect. People don’t stop caring overnight, they stop feeling like their work matters. The worst thing a manager can do is jump straight to performance warnings without first finding out what’s driving the change.”
  
  Her five recommended actions for leaders are:
  
  Gallup backs the warning
  
  According to Gallup’s latest State of the Global Workplace report, only 10% of UK employees are actively engaged at work, leaving a vast middle ground at risk of quiet quitting.
  

Further information can be found here, and assets can be downloaded here.

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