Quiet quitting doesn't actually refer to quitting a job—it means completing one's minimum work requirements without going above and beyond or bringing work home after hours.
There's been a lot of talk around quiet quitting. This is the trend where employees put in a minimal amount of effort just to get through the workday. Although this trend is disturbing, we need to take a look at some underlying factors that contribute.
Quiet quitting is characterised by putting a minimal amount of effort into the working day — not answering work calls or emails outside of office hours and refusing to take on additional tasks without remuneration.
An increase in sick time or paid time off (PTO)
Remember, part of quiet quitting is protecting their mental and emotional health, and taking time off to relax and rejuvenate could be a sign they're doing just that. Employees may not care that there's a tight deadline they need won't meet because they'll be on vacation.
Understand the root causes of disengagement
So, the simple answer to why people are “quiet quitting” is their desire to avoid high stress and burnout by taking work/life balance into their own hands.
Pay discrepancies are one of the leading causes of quiet quitting. The issue isn't that employees don't want to do the extra work but don't feel appropriately compensated for their efforts. More than money, the root of the problem is a lack of respect.
Quiet quitting then, is often used to cope with burnout. It has been defined in a couple of different ways — some describe it as not actively going above and beyond at work, while others see it as doing only the bare minimum to remain employed.
Quiet quitting refers to employees only doing the bare minimum of what their job requires — going through the motions without interest or energy. Quick quitting refers to employees who leave their jobs before the one-year mark.
The Disadvantages of Quiet Quitting
For starters, quiet quitting can affect productivity and work culture. Just doing the bare minimum can result in significantly less output and collaboration. When employees reduce their work output, their team will often try to cover them, increasing their workload.
Quiet quitting refers to doing the minimum requirements of one's job and putting in no more time, effort, or enthusiasm than absolutely necessary. As such, it is something of a misnomer, since the worker doesn't actually leave their position and continues to collect a salary.
Twenty-one percent of workers are 'quiet quitting,' choosing to put in only the bare minimum and just doing what they are paid to do. Additionally, 5% say they actually do less than what's required of them.
However, quiet quitting could be a sign that an employee is not happy in their position or is experiencing burnout. Quiet quitting is a way the employee deals with burnout to help alleviate stress. It may also mean they are ready to change positions or may be currently looking for another job.
Quiet Quitting may be an attempt by workers to regain control of their lives and avoid further stress or anxiety in their job. At its core, quiet quitting can act as a coping mechanism for those feeling overwhelmed and unable to move forward in their current work situation.
'Quiet quitting' helps Australian workers avoid burnout as new trend has TikTok talking. A new concept that promises to help workers avoid burnout and ditch stressful jobs while remaining gainfully employed is gathering plenty of attention online.
The term “quiet quitting” refers to employees who put no more effort into their jobs than absolutely necessary.
Examples of ways to prevent quiet quitting include maintaining boundaries, keeping increases in workload short-term, and properly compensating employees. This advice helps employers understand the reasons behind the phenomenon and give actionable steps to fix the problem.
In some cases, employees become so disengaged that they start “quietly quitting” without actually quitting or announcing their departure. Quiet quitters put in minimal effort just to get through the workday but don't express their discontent to management. It can have serious mental health risks in the long-term.
What Is Quiet Quitting in a Relationship? Per Murphy, “Quiet quitting is when one person stops trying and gives up without telling the other person about their feelings or needs.
Quiet quitting is passive-aggressively checking out. Quiet quitters will be the first to be let go when the labor market cools.
“Quiet quitting in a relationship [means you stop] exerting the energy, emotion, or investment in the future that you previously put into the relationship,” says Lynn Saladino, PsyD, a therapist in New York City. “You are technically still committed but have stopped trying.”
Quiet quitting is often discussed in the context of worker dissatisfaction, burnout, disengagement, and the trend of deprioritizing work in favor of other aspects of life. It is often used alongside other terms used in the same context, such as anti-ambition, lying flat, and the Great Resignation.
Quiet quitting—and low morale in general—affects recruitment and retention. It also impacts productivity and efficiency on an organizational level. Rather than villainizing quiet quitting, Human Resource teams can use these signals to come up with thoughtful ways to better connect and align with employee needs.
Improving employee work-life balance
One of the primary drivers behind quiet quitting is that employees want to improve their own work-life balance. While quiet quitting may not be an employer's favorite way to find out that their employees are overworked or disengaged, it opens the door for change.
Digital monitoring or “clocking”.
One person uses social media sites like Instagram and Snapchat to keep tabs on the other person. They constantly message or text the other person and demand quick responses.