What Does the Latest Work Trend “Quiet Quitting” Really Entail?
In recent times, there has been discussion of a “Great Reshuffle,” in which many Americans regretted leaving their previous job to find better opportunities. Unfortunately, many professionals who leaped to find a healthier workplace were dissatisfied. So now, we’ve entered into the era of “quiet quitting,” a trending topic across various industries.
So, what exactly is quiet quitting, and why is it a possible concern for the future of work?
Are people quietly packing up their belongings and leaving out the back door of their offices? Not quite! Instead, it refers to the idea of doing the bare minimum of your job responsibilities rather than going above and beyond. “You are still performing your duties, but you are no longer subscribing to the hustle culture mentality that work has to be our life,” Zaiad Khan, a popular TikToker, told The New York Times.
Reasons why professionals may quiet quit include:
No room for growth in their organization
Horrible workplace culture
Low pay
Feeling undervalued or unappreciated
Job burnout
The topic of quiet quitting became popular after a Wall Street Journal article brought the issue to the forefront. Now, people are weighing in on this concerning work trend on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Unfortunately, not everyone has the ability to quiet quit. Some people believe being a minority, female, or having a disability, poses a disadvantage for being able to quiet quit.
Where does this leave leadership if professionals stop giving 110% at their jobs? As reported by TIME, some leaders believe that quiet quitting will cause employees to lose their jobs due to low productivity.
On the other side of the argument, some leaders are scrambling to find ways to keep their employees motivated to perform well.
A few ways organizations can fight against quiet quitting are:
Providing training opportunities for employees to upskill
Improving benefits package to include more PTO, mental health care, and family assistance
Implement more flexibility, such as offering employees the opportunity to work remotely or having a four-day work week
As we face another recession, the trend of quiet quitting may die down, or people may turn to other ways to make income, like freelancing, to avoid the workplace entirely.