Key Takeaways. The term “quiet quitting” refers to employees who put no more effort into their jobs than absolutely necessary. A 2022 GallupGallup, Inc. is an American analytics and advisory company based in Washington, D.C. Founded by George Gallup in 1935, the company became known for its public opinion polls conducted worldwide.https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Gallup,_Inc
In short, quiet quitting has been popularized recently with employees that are just at a job for the paycheck and aren't really emotionally or intellectually engaged. It's about doing the bare minimum, and not going “above and beyond”.
Common Causes of Quiet Quitting
Excess workload. Poor compensation. Lack of boundaries. Insufficient support from managers.
TikTok is credited with coining the term 'quiet quitting.
A recent Gallup poll found that 50% of the US workforce is quiet quitting, corporate America's latest movement where workers have said “enough” to overworking, and decided to set boundaries for their wellbeing.
So, perhaps “quiet quitting” itself isn't a problem, but instead, it's an indication that workplace expectations have gotten out of control, and as a result, many are demanding a realignment that is both overdue and necessary.
If you're wondering whether you can be fired for adopting a “quietly quitting” mindset on the job, the short answer is yes, you probably can. Employers still have a great deal of latitude when it comes to dismissing workers for not pulling their weight on the job.
Quiet quitting is a form of employee disengagement where team members stop going above and beyond and fulfill the bare minimum job requirements to keep their jobs. Examples of ways to prevent quiet quitting include maintaining boundaries, keeping increases in workload short-term, and properly compensating employees.
It's okay to quit when we are, in essence, setting boundaries. For example when a person in a role or a process becomes “more work than they're worth,” it's a sure sign that it's time to quit the system or process.
But if we're going to accuse workers of quiet quitting, we should also acknowledge the phenomenon of “quiet firing,” in which employers avoid providing all but the bare legal minimum, possibly with the aim of getting unwanted employees to quit.
Lack of growth opportunities and promotions
31.88% of those questioned in the Paychex study cited a lack of growth and promotions as their reason for leaving. Being given only small, incremental goals rarely pushes employees out of their comfort zones or encourages them to learn new skills and take on new challenges.
Feeling disrespected
According to the Pew study, 57% of Americans quit their jobs in 2021 because they felt disrespected at work. And 35% of those surveyed highlighted this as a major reason for quitting.
"Quiet quitters" make up at least 50% of the U.S. workforce -- probably more, Gallup finds.
Of HR professionals concerned that quiet quitting will negatively impact their organization, many believe it will decrease employee morale in the workplace (83 percent), decrease employee productivity (70 percent), or decrease the quality of employee work products (50 percent).
Depending on their emotional state at the time of your conversation, your manager may become immediately upset, or even furious that you are resigning. They may feel a sense of betrayal, as well as anxiety about how they will manage the workload without you.
The best-case scenario—and honestly, the most common reaction—is that your boss will accept your resignation with understanding and sincere congratulations. Your manager will be happy to see that you're advancing your career and moving on to something bigger and better.
They act defensive because they have a lot to defend.
Your boss's boss knows that the managerial relationship places a strong role in an employee's decision to leave, so your boss is now having to prove that losing a good employee isn't that bad after all. Unfortunately, you may get smeared during this defensive act.
While no two employers are exactly the same, in most cases you'll provide a resignation letter to your boss, then work with HR to finish out your time at the company.
The advantages of quitting instead of being fired include the possibility of negotiating severance and a positive recommendation. Disadvantages of quitting include forfeiting the right to claim unemployment. Any time you think your job is in danger, it's a good idea to start looking for a new job just in case.
It may be tricky to spot the warning signs of a quiet firing, as things can unfold gradually. But signs include being continually passed over for a promotion, not receiving a raise despite working at the same company for years, a lack of performance reviews and/or a disengaged manager.
“You're not outright quitting your job, but you're quitting the idea of going above and beyond,” says Zaid Khan in his now-viral TikTok video that seemingly set this discourse in motion.
Quitting has the same end idea as ghosting (permanently leaving a place of employment), but it involves more communication. You decide you are done with a job, talk to your manager to give your two weeks' notice, and transition out of the job with a clear end date.
Zaid Khan, 24, an engineer from New York, popularized this trend with his viral Tiktok video in July. “You are still performing your duties, but you are no longer subscribing to the hustle culture mentally that work has to be our life,” Khan says in his video.
Gen Zers, working parents and employees who have been with their company for less than five years are the most likely to switch jobs in early 2023, the report found. But which jobs will see the highest quit rates this year?