Quiet Quitting: Unwrapping the trend

The term "quiet quitting" describes leaving a job after fulfilling the bare minimum requirements and without expending any more energy, time, or enthusiasm.

Is this for real?

Early in the new millennium, social media played a major role in the rise of the widely reported quiet quitting movement in the US and abroad.

The concept of "quiet quitting" emerged on the internet in March 2022, when Brian Creely, a career coach and influential figure in the job market for Generation X, introduced the term while discussing an Insider article about employees who were coasting / just going with the motion at work. Following this, the term gained widespread popularity on TikTok, especially resonating with the platform's predominantly younger audience from Gen Z (a person born between 1995-2010).

Quiet quitting closely resonates with job dissatisfaction amongst employees.

Understanding the causes:

·         Burnout: It is characterized as an imbalance between an individual's physical and mental capabilities and the demands of their line of work. In other words, job-related stress, when employees start experiencing physical or emotional exhaustion.

·         Work – Life (Im) balance: The lack of equilibrium or balance between professional and personal commitments (be it spending time with family, friends or pursuing a hobby). This imbalance can be due to unrealistic targets at professional front which negatively spills over to personal front.

·         Lack of recognition: when employees do not feel appreciated at work or when their efforts go un-noticed or are overlooked, they will gradually not see the value in exerting themselves. In fact, unmatched compensation in relation to value put in by employee at job can also result in lack of motivation and ultimately impact the efforts put in by them.

·         No career path: When employees do not see advancement in their careers or a positive change, inspite of putting extra efforts at job, they feel a lack of engagement and slowly and gradually stop making efforts and eventually withdraw.

The Bottom Line:

Through quiet quitting, employees give a (negative) feedback that they are experiencing an issue within their professional environment. Thus, it becomes imperative and employer’s responsibility to address this information/feedback and deal with any problems that may be causing the lack of interest amongst the team.

Talking to the team members and coworkers is one of the most effective strategies to prevent quiet resignation.

Ensure regular check-in with the team and assure them that their problems are being listened to and addressed through relevant adjustments in the working environment.

Establish a healthy work life balance. Individuals desire acknowledgment for their skill, enthusiasm, and diligence. They desire boundaries and meaningful work.