It’s Thursday morning. 11:10 a.m.
Susan scans the latest performance report. Numbers are steady — maybe even slightly up. But something feels… off.
Janet’s camera is off again. Mark’s replies are getting shorter. Emily, usually full of ideas, hasn’t spoken in two meetings.
No one’s resigning. No one’s complaining. But the energy is gone.
“Why do I feel like I’m losing people who haven’t even left?”
This is what employee disengagement and silent quitting looks like. It’s not in the exit interviews. It’s in the quiet exits that happen weeks — or even months — before a resignation.
But what do you do when people stop showing up with energy — even if they’re still physically present?
This article breaks down the quiet signals of disengagement, why you’re likely missing them, and how small but intentional leadership habits can start to shift the tide.
1. Early Signs of Employee Disengagement Are There – Just Not Loud
Disengagement rarely shows up as a dramatic breakdown. It creeps in:
- Cameras off
- Missed informal catchups
- Minimal participation in discussions
- Quick replies. Or no replies.
What’s dangerous? These signs often don’t trigger concern — until it’s too late.
By the time someone gives notice, they’ve usually been mentally checked out for weeks.
Retention isn’t a number. It’s a feeling of being seen, valued, and trusted.
2. You Can’t Fix What You Don’t Hear
Traditional feedback loops often miss the moments that matter.
Why?
Because they’re:
- Too formal (e.g. annual surveys)
- Too late (e.g. exit interviews)
- Too general (e.g. “How satisfied are you?”)
Silent attrition needs more frequent, personal, and human-sized loops:
- Manager check-ins with open coaching-style questions
- Peer-to-peer feedback moments
- Quick monthly pulse surveys focused on connection and purpose
Feedback isn’t just a system. It’s a signal. And you need to hear it early.
3. Trust Isn’t a Perk — It’s the Culture
You can’t prevent silent attrition by offering yoga classes or pizza Fridays.
What works?
- Leaders who listen before they fix
- Managers who check in, not just check up
- Clarity about expectations, priorities, and development paths
These are leadership habits. And they build a culture where people want to stay, not because they have to, but because they’re growing.
Explore how our leadership development approach through coaching and bespoke workshops, helps build trust, clarity, and human connection that actually retains top talent. Learn more here.
4. What You Can Do
If you’re worried about quiet exits or invisible disengagement, don’t just gather insights — act on them.
- Act on feedback — visibly. If your team shares concerns and nothing happens, engagement will drop fast. People don’t expect you to do everything they ask, but they need to see that their voice matters — and that change, when it makes sense for the business and the people, is possible.
- Recognise effort — not just results. People don’t always need a bonus. Sometimes, they just need to hear: “I saw you tried. I saw you cared.” Recognition builds connection. And connection builds loyalty.
- Create space for growth — and stay present when it gets hard. Sending people on courses isn’t development. Development is what happens after — when they come back with ideas, try new behaviours, and sometimes fail before they succeed. That’s where leadership shows up: coaching, mentoring, guiding.
Want to connect this to a bigger shift in culture? This article on building ownership explores how clarity, trust, and structured communication help leaders lead — and teams take real responsibility.
Disengagement isn’t always loud. But its cost is.
People don’t leave companies in a day. They leave slowly, through silence, through distance, through being unseen.
If you want to stop silent attrition, don’t start with a survey.
Start with your managers. Your culture. Your conversations.
If you’re wondering whether we can help you create a leadership culture where people want to stay, let’s have that conversation.
