College of Business and Law

Leadership lessons for engaging talent in a changing world of work

Presentation at Binus University, Jakarta, Indonesia

Who are the quiet quitters?

1. Those who only do what they are expected (the bare minimum) – exploiting the lack of
managerial oversight
2. Those who are consciously reprioritising goals to prevent burnout or just a change in
perspective
3. Those who are overwhelmed, underpaid and/or undervalued
4. Those whose jobs have no meaning, are bored and/or frustrated
5. Those who have lost motivation through the absence or lack of human connection

Humanising work
Inputs, outputs, processes, controls, KPIs
We suffer when our social bonds are threatened
Human feelings and connections get lost - Isolation and remote work – limited sharing of stories
and experiences, limited informal catch-ups

Suseno et al. (2020)

Innovative work behaviour in the public sector: The roles of task characteristics, social
support, and proactivity, Australian Journal of Public Administration, 79(1), 41-59
• Job design
• Employees are more creative and innovative when the work they do provides them with
an opportunity to have meaning or have a sense of purpose
Wechtler and Suseno (2023)
Supporting Innovative Work Behavior in Times of Crisis: Change-oriented Leadership
and the Power of Trust, European Management Journal, revise and resubmit
Suseno et al. (2023)
When employees proactively and voluntarily help out: Unpacking leadership roles, trust
and employee voice during times of significant change, Under review
Connect to Create a Sense of Belonging
• Loneliness has serious consequences for individuals
• Obesity -> reduces longevity by 20%
• Drinking -> reduces longevity by 30%
• Smoking -> reduces longevity by 50%
• Loneliness -> reduces longevity by 70%

Artificial Intelligence and Leadership

• The use of digital systems -> high levels of anxiety and depression
• “Mental and physical problems could stem from tech-abetted loneliness and social
isolation; some could come from people substituting tech-based “experiences” for real-
life encounters; some could come from job displacements and related social strife; and
some could come directly from tech-based attacks”
• “We also know that the body and mind are connected. What connects them is the soul.
And that soul is not a machine. The machine at this moment has no real grasp of what it
means to understand its environment or how meaning can be inferred from it. Even more
important in light of the idea of humanity and AI, a machine does not think about
humans, or what it means to be a human. It does not care about humans. If you die
today, AI does not worry about that.” (De Cremer)