Loud quitting explained: what it is and how to stop it

Loud quitting is active disengagement. Employees don’t just stop putting the effort in, they broadcast their dissatisfaction and could even undermine goals, which harms morale, productivity and employer brand. Gallup uses “loud quitters” to describe the actively disengaged cohort.

Some people use "loud leaving" to mean managers signalling it’s fine to finish on time - that’s a healthy norm. This blog focuses on loud quitting - the risky, vocal form of disengagement.

What loud quitting can look like

• Public criticism of decisions or leaders in meetings or internal channels

• Visible refusal to take on work outside strict role boundaries

• Social posts that frame the organisation as unfair or uncaring

• Energy that pulls others off mission, not just opting out

Gallup’s research made quiet quitter and loud quitters clear: quiet quitters are not engaged, loud quitters are actively disengaged. In 2023, they reported 59% of employees globally were quiet quitting and 18% were loud quitting. With so many employees still not engaged, the risk of loud quitting is always there in the background.

Why loud quitting matters

• UK engagement is among Europe’s lowest. Gallup’s 2025 data shows only 10% of UK workers feel engaged, putting the UK near the bottom in Europe and highlighting a serious risk of active disengagement.
  
• Management quality is a core driver. The Chartered Management Institute reports that 82% of UK managers are “accidental managers” with no formal training. With one in three people leaving a job due to bad managers or a toxic culture, this is exactly the kind of condition that fuels loud quitting. 
  
• Conflict is common and can predict exits. The CIPD’s Good Work Index shows that 25% of UK employees - around 8 million people - experienced workplace conflict in the past year and only 36% said it had been fully resolved. Those who face conflict are roughly twice as likely to say they’ll leave within a year.
  
• Conflict has a measurable price tag. Acas estimates workplace conflict costs UK employers £28.5bn a year. That’s just over £1,000 per employee, via resignations, absence and lost productivity, making “loud” disengagement a direct balance-sheet issue. 
• Work is harming wellbeing for many. In 2025, the CIPD found one in four UK workers say their job negatively affects their mental or physical health. These employees are more likely to quit in the next 12 months and less likely to put in extra effort. 
• Absence levels are stll higher than they were before the pandemic. ONS data shows 148.9 million working days were lost to sickness in 2024. That's 4.4 days per worker, still above 2019 levels, highlighting how ongoing disengagement and conflict can quietly hold performance back if left unchecked.

Root causes you can fix

Broken expectations. Promises made during the recruitment process don’t match the day-to-day reality - i.e. workload, flexibility or progression. Employees feel fairness is missing, which only enhances vocal disengagement.

Manager capability gaps. The manager is often the biggest lever, so weak coaching and unclear priorities can let frustration go public.

Career stagnation. No visible path or skills budget can make cynicism spread.

Low psychological safety. If people think speaking up has no impact on changes being made, they turn to public channels instead.

Values without proof. When clear values aren’t backed up by everyday decisions, it chips away at trust - and it’s no surprise people start speaking up about it.

How to prevent loud quitting

1. Set clear expectations that people can rely on
   Publish working patterns, response times and priorities at team level. Review monthly so changes are understood and workload creep doesn’t build frustration.

2. Equip managers to lead well and be the engine of engagement
   Get the basics right: set aside time for regular one-to-ones, recognise good work promptly, share honest feedback and tackle concerns early. Make engagement and retaining valued team members part of manager goals and reward structures.

3. Show a route forward in 90-day plans
   Offer learning time, shadowing and short secondments. Be transparent about progression criteria and share examples of internal moves each month.

4. Remove friction from everyday work
   Review meetings each quarter and cut any with low value. Rationalise overlapping tools and protect focused time in people's diaries. When work flows, there’s less friction to rant about.

5. Listen properly and act quickly
   Use short surveys, listening groups, stay interviews and a confidential channel. Report back within 30 days with a simple “you said, we did” update.

6. Be fair and consistent
   Review pay bands and promotion decisions, apply policies consistently and explain the rationale when difficult calls have to be made.

7. Early-warning signals from your HR tech

• ATS and HRIS: watch backfill spikes, internal applications and exit reasons by team
• Engagement platform: track missed one-to-ones, low recognition and slipping goals as risk predictor markers
• Reputation data: monitor review themes on sites like Glassdoor and fix patterns before they get out of hand on socials

What to do when it’s already loud

• Address the real issue, not the drama. Start by thanking the person for raising their concerns, then move the conversation into a private, supportive space where you can work through the details together.

• Get to the heart of the problem. Whether it’s workload, clarity, pay or behaviour. Put together an action plan with clear dates and keep the team in the loop on your progress.

• Keep your team informed. Share a quick, factual update within 7–14 days to stop rumours taking hold and keep the culture positive.

• Consistency is key. If boundaries are crossed, stick to your policies - steady, fair action helps safeguard team culture and your employer brand.

Manager scripts you can copy

One-to-one opener
“I’ve noticed some frustration and I want to help. What feels most unfair right now and what would good look like to you in the next two weeks?”

Team reset
“Here’s what matters this week and what can wait. We’ll cancel two meetings and I’ll ringfence weekly focus time in the diary.”

After a flare-up
“We heard the concern about X. We’re doing A and B this month, then reviewing on the 28th. Keep the feedback coming through the survey and our forum.”

FAQs

Is loud quitting the same as quiet quitting?
No. Quiet quitting is doing the minimum and detaching. Loud quitting is active disengagement that is visible and can undermine goals. “Loud quitting” is used to describe actively disengaged groups.

How widespread is it?
Gallup tracks a large, global share of non-engaged employees, alongside a persistent, actively disengaged group that drives visible, vocal disengagement. 

What’s the fastest way to fix this?
Improve manager quality, clarify expectations and show fairness in decisions.