Many of us had experienced speaking with an AI (artificial intelligence) when we needed customer service help. I have had a few experiences, and the fact that I couldn’t connect with a person on a human level and explain my need drove me crazy. As a result of the Tech revolution and the introduction of AI and machine learning, machines/robots will replace many job positions in the near future. However, what’s not replaceable is the human connection and human emotions, which robots don’t possess.

Managing robots as employees is simpler. You don’t have to motivate them. You can easily calculate their output. Because we can’t motivate them, they deliver nothing more than the expected results. Dealing with humans is more complex. When you touch their emotions positively, wonders can happen.

The words ’emotion’ and ‘motivation’ have the same origin in Latin and are derived from the word movere,’ which means “to move.” So to motivate someone, we need to “move” their emotions. Their emotions can further “move” or shape their behavior. To put it simply – to inspire that person.

There are two types of motivation. Extrinsic and intrinsic. When people are inspired to do something or are motivated intrinsically, they will gather all of their inner resources to get things done because they see a meaning in their own activity.

When we offer a reward to our kids for doing something they rather not do, like tidying up their room, or we threaten them with punishment for not doing that, we motivate them extrinsically. 

What is quiet quitting?

Quiet quitting is when a person gives the minimum of their resources to fulfill their job. They are extrinsically motivated to get the job done but not inspired to provide the best of themself. We call resources the things we possess, such as knowledge, skills, talents, experiences, personality traits, and mindset. 

Where and how that person would invest their resources.

According to Maslow’s human needs theory, motivation results from a person’s attempt to fulfill their needs. There are basic needs, like physiological or safety needs, and psychological, like a need for esteem, love, and self-actualization. Employees, like every human on planet earth, have these needs. However, if one employee goes to a job to fulfill their basic needs, for safety, they are probably not inspired to give the best of his/hers resources in the company. Why? Because these employees are extrinsically motivated to get a reward in terms of salary and invest only the necessary resources to get the job done. They provide no additional value in terms of creativity and productivity.

Why is quiet quitting bad for companies?

Creativity and emotions are valuable and irreplaceable resources. Intrinsically motivated humans are behind all of the achievements in the world. 

Every company possesses resources that leaders or managers could trigger to flourish and add value to the organization. We need emotionally intelligent leaders that can inspire and get the best of the team members.

When we explain to children why a clean room is better than a messy one, and they find meaning in keeping it clean because they can easily find their toys or something similar, they will become intrinsically motivated to tidy their room even if we don’t offer threats or rewards.

The same is valid for adults. So, for example, if one assigns a task in which a team member doesn’t see any meaning, the employee would likely provide the minimum of his/hers resources, definitely not the maximum. 

There is no one-size-fits-all formula for motivating a team to go above and beyond. However, human skills could help to understand people’s needs and establish valuable connections with team members.   

Growth and our future

Most societies see natural resources as consumer goods, and value people by labor costs. Unfortunately, this does not lead to sustainable growth. 

When we start seeing natural resources as critical sources for our future growth and valuing people’s creative potential for building a better future instead of solely surviving, we can say that we have a future. And when we only focus on using and spending the natural and human resources without building their potential for the future, we might end up without a future.