While the term quiet quitting has faded from headlines, the engagement crisis behind it is still alive and well in workplaces across the globe. Recent reports show only 33% of employees are actively engaged at their jobs in the United States, indicating that underneath the buzzwords, there is a serious problem affecting the modern workforce.
As a quick refresher, quiet quitting refers to a mindset where individuals mentally ‘check out’ while only performing the bare minimum of their job descriptions. Many leaders view this problem as HR’s domain, but in today’s complex workplace, it’s not enough to solely rely on HR to resolve these issues.
With how prevalent employee disengagement is in 2025, CEOs should take this as a sign and utilize loud leadership to reengage their employees.
In this feature, C-Suite 411 will explore what is causing the disengagement crisis commonly known as quiet quitting and how CEOs can utilize loud leadership methods in the workplace to address it.
The Drivers of Disengagement
Employee disengagement doesn’t appear out of nowhere. It gradually builds until company productivity and morale take a significant hit.
While this isn’t a new phenomenon, the problem has been exacerbated in recent years as hybrid work, economic pressures, and shifting generational values have changed how employees connect to their work.
There are many factors that play into quiet quitting, but they can generally be placed in four areas. The first of these is a loss of purpose. People like to know that the work they do is not only valued, but also connected to something they consider meaningful. But when the “why” behind their work goes missing, so does the motivation to go above and beyond.
Then there’s stalled growth. Employees want to see a future inside the organization they dedicate so much of their time to. They want to feel like they’re moving forward in their careers by developing new skills or opening new career paths.
Next is communication fatigue. Many organizations still operate as if communication runs one way: leaders talk, employees listen. This communication style doesn’t work anymore. Instead, workers crave honest, two-way dialogue where their perspectives are acknowledged and acted on. In hybrid workplaces, especially, employees can feel disconnected if they only hear from leadership when there’s a problem.
Ultimately, it all leads to a breakdown in trust. When what leaders say and what employees experience don’t line up, credibility begins to falter.
None of these factors are irreversible, but fixing them requires consistent leadership that’s visible and genuinely engaged in the day-to-day experience of its people. Employees still want to give their best; they just need leadership to show them why it matters, where they’re going, and that their contributions are genuinely valued. That is where strategies like loud leadership come into play.
Loud Leadership in Action
As a CEO, your visibility and communication affect how connected employees feel to your organization’s purpose. Loud leadership is effective in combating quiet quitting because it takes the driving factors mentioned above and does the opposite.
Loud leadership is generally defined as an intentional and values-driven approach to leadership that emphasizes communication, connection, and credibility. When it’s practiced effectively, it is a great boost to your company’s morale and productivity. However, it also comes with a warning, as loud leadership can backfire when it crosses the line into intensity or excessive control. That’s why finding a balance that works for your organization is critical to this leadership method.
Executives who want to begin practicing loud leadership should start slowly and work with HR teams to establish where that line is. Once that is done, you can begin focusing on these five areas: visibility, purpose, growth, culture, and trust.
Being visible means communicating often and meaningfully. Regular, unfiltered conversations or short video messages help employees feel informed and included — especially if you have hybrid workers or if your company is navigating change.
Communication also helps establish a more defined purpose. You can strengthen that sense of meaning by connecting company milestones to real outcomes, like sharing customer stories or showing how a team’s success advanced your mission.
Similarly, growth and culture go hand in hand. Sponsoring emerging leaders and creating learning opportunities can build loyalty. Culture, meanwhile, starts with what you model as the CEO.
And at the center of it all is trust. Every other element of loud leadership depends on it.
When you focus on these core areas, the energy inside your organization will change for the better. Employees will start seeing engagement as something they want to give, not just something leadership demands.
Sources: People Insight, TeamBuild.com, EnformHR, LinkedIn
