Charles Spinelli Explores Whether Leaders Are Morally Accountable for Employee Disengagement

In a workplace culture that often rewards burnout and glorifies overachievement, a new trend has emerged: quiet quitting. Employees aren’t officially resigning, but they are withdrawing emotionally, doing only what is required and nothing more. While productivity might continue at a functional level, passion, innovation, and a sense of belonging gradually fade. Charles Spinelli , a noted authority on ethical leadership, recognizes that this silent resignation is more than a workforce trend; it’s a moral reckoning for today’s executives.

Quitting reveals something deeper than individual dissatisfaction. It points to systemic leadership gaps, broken trust, and the slow erosion of purpose at work. The question isn’t just how to fix disengagement. It’s whether leaders are ethically responsible for allowing a culture where it thrives.

Culture Is Not a Perk, It’s a Promise

Many organizations pride themselves on mission statements and values, but when employees feel ignored, undervalued or overworked, those words ring hollow. A healthy workplace culture isn’t built on slogans; it’s upheld by action. Leaders who fail to recognize signs of apathy or burnout aren’t just missing performance red flags. They may be violating an unspoken ethical contract with their teams.

Employees who quietly disengage are often reacting to unmet expectations, promises of growth, purpose or support that were never fulfilled. When leadership becomes more focused on output than on people, workers stop giving more than what their job descriptions demand. This silent retreat may be passive on the surface, but its ethical implications are loud and clear.

Accountability Begins with Awareness

Ignoring employee disengagement isn’t neutral. It’s a decision, intentional or not, to prioritize employee well-being. Ethical leadership means creating conditions where people feel seen, heard, and valued. That begins with awareness. Leaders must be proactive in assessing engagement, encouraging open dialogue, and responding to feedback with authenticity.

Some companies have turned to pulse surveys, team check-ins, or anonymous feedback platforms to spot disengagement early. However, tools are only as effective as their intent. Ethical responsibility requires action, not just measurement. When employees voice concerns, the absence of follow-through can accelerate disconnection.

Redefining Leadership Success

Leadership should not be measured solely by KPIs, profits, or quarterly earnings. A leader’s true impact lies in how people feel under their guidance. Are they growing? Are they contributing meaningfully? Are they staying out of necessity or choosing to be part of something bigger?

Preventing quiet quitting requires more than incentives. It demands empathy, consistent communication, and a culture that rewards integrity over compliance. Ethical leaders understand that engagement is earned, not demanded.

Charles Spinelli shares that silent resignation is not just a warning sign of disengagement but a mirror reflecting leadership’s values. He believes that when employees disconnect quietly, the loudest question is not what went wrong with them but what was missing from leadership. In the long run, ethical accountability isn’t about reacting to quiet quitting; it’s about ensuring the silence never settles in the first place.