4 minutes
EDI, Quiet Quitting & the Recruitment Reality: Why Businesses Must Listen, Act and Adapt
Over the past month, I’ve had the opportunity to contribute to a number of thought-provoking panels across the East Midlands, including the Chamber’s People and Skills Summit and an EDI event led by Leicester Business Voice. The topics? Equality, diversity, inclusion, workforce development, and what it truly takes to build a workplace where people not only show up but belong.
These conversations have been rich and insightful with great opinions and practices shared. As a recruiter, it presented another critical issue to me, less visible, yet hugely impactful: quiet quitting.
And if you're hiring or trying to hold onto talent, this is a topic you can’t afford to ignore.
The Link Between EDI and Quiet Quitting
At first glance, equality, diversity, and inclusion might seem disconnected from the topic of disengagement. But in many of the conversations I’ve had recently I’d argue they are fundamentally linked.
When individuals don’t feel seen, heard, or valued, especially in workplaces that lack the feeling of inclusion, they are far more likely to mentally check out long before they hand in a resignation letter.
This is quiet quitting in practice: employees doing the job on paper, but leaving their passion, ideas, and initiative at the door.
At ER Recruitment, we speak to candidates every day who tell us they’re not leaving a company because of pay or job title, they’re leaving because they no longer feel part of the bigger picture.
What Business Leaders Are Missing
Too often, organisations ask, “How do we get people to care more?” when the real question should be: “What are we doing (or not doing) that’s making people disengage?”
The pandemic shifted many perspectives. Employees reassessed what work means to them. Flexibility, purpose, and psychological safety are now non-negotiables, especially for younger talent and those from underrepresented backgrounds who historically may not have felt included in corporate culture.
And while quiet quitting might sound like a Gen Z trend that exploded on TikTok, it’s a symptom of a much larger issue: a disconnect between employers and employees that can no longer be ignored.
So What Does This Mean for Recruitment?
From a recruitment standpoint, this shift is profound.
We’re no longer in a world where simply offering a job and a salary is enough. Today’s candidates are asking:
- Will I feel like I belong here?
- Is this somewhere I can grow, and be my true authentic self while doing it?
- Does the leadership reflect the diversity of the team?
- Are values lived, or just written on a website?
If businesses can’t answer those questions with confidence, they’ll not only struggle to hire, but they’ll also struggle to retain.
The cost of quiet quitting isn’t just cultural. It impacts productivity, innovation, and your employer brand. And it’s often invisible, until it hits your bottom line.
How Do We Respond?
Simply put, by looking at your three C’s: culture, communication, and commitment.
- Start with your hiring practices.
Are you reaching a wide enough talent pool? Are your job descriptions inclusive? Are your interview panels diverse? - Look beyond performance metrics.
Engagement isn’t just about output, it’s about voice. Are employees encouraged to contribute ideas, challenge norms, and shape strategy? - Invest in training your leadership.
Middle managers are often the first point of contact for disengaged employees, as well as usually the people conducting interviews for new starters. Do they have the right training to equip them with the skills to both hire the right people and keep them? - Recognise and reward.
People don’t go the extra mile if they feel invisible when they do. A simple "thank you" or genuine recognition goes further than most assume. - Make EDI a constant conversation, not a campaign.
Embedding diversity into your values, behaviours, and day-to-day interactions is what creates belonging. That’s what keeps people engaged and brings the best out of them.
Final Thought: Listen, Before It’s Too Late
We often talk about quiet quitting as an employee problem. But I see it as an employer opportunity, a chance to reflect, reconnect, and re-engage before people walk away.
Recruitment is not just about finding talent. It’s about creating environments where talent wants to stay.
Events like the ones I’ve been proud to take part in recently prove that there is a genuine will to do better, to learn, adapt, and grow.
Let’s not lose that momentum. Because when we hire inclusively, lead intentionally, and listen actively, everyone wins.
Want to explore how ER Recruitment can support your inclusive hiring journey or help you retain the talent you’ve worked so hard to attract? Get in touch with our expert team today.
