Quiet quitting may be one of the most serious issues facing the economy, says this one company executive.
Key Details
- Chipotle CFO Jack Hartung says that there are numerous problems facing his business, but quiet quitting may be one of the most serious.
- “The labor market has been a challenge, as we all know, there’s historically low unemployment. You’ve got this thing called quiet quitting. It’s harder to keep young folks in a restaurant engaged in the current business,” says Hartung.
- “The quiet-quitting phenomenon where employees simply perform their duties without going the extra mile to forgo hustle culture has been rippling through the workplace. Some may be trying to prevent burnout, while others may feel disengaged from the company,” says Fortune.
- Chipotle is facing the same economic realities as the rest of the business world. They’ve increased prices by 13% in the past year to make up for higher supply costs. The company has still seen a 13.7% growth in total revenue, according to its recent quarter-three reports.
- “We’re seeing inflation in every one of our ingredients, and wage inflation. So, what we tried to do was just keep up with inflation,” Hartung says.
Why it’s News
As we previously reported, major corporations are worried about quiet quitting and what it means for businesses. Employees are seemingly unwilling to go above and beyond the call of duty and are putting in the minimum to avoid being fired—or they’re seeking greener pastures. Some companies are paying tens of thousands to hire consultants to help resolve the issue or cracking down on perceived offenders.
Hartung sees working at retail companies like Chipotle as a job with potential, where workers can work their way up and have fruitful careers with the company.
“Even though Chipotle has increased wages and offers enhanced benefits, it’s tempting for employees to think about taking other jobs since there’s a plethora of them out there. So, a positive onboarding experience is crucial,” says Fortune.
“If you’re a new crew person, and the line is out the door, and you feel like you’re not really equipped to keep pace with the rest of the folks on that line, that’s a tough experience. A lot of what I’m doing lately is figuring out is: how do we make sure that the labor assigned to the restaurant is deployed in the right position throughout the day between the frontline and our digital make line,” says Hartung.
