What is Quiet Quitting?

Quiet quitting is sweeping TikTok and other social media apps and the mainstream media is abuzz with this phrase.

It has shed new light on the working world for young professionals and sparked a new debate about how we relate to our jobs.

But what is quiet quitting?

Quiet quitting does not actually mean that you quit your job “quietly”. It actually means doing what is necessary of your role and then moving on with your life - having a better work-life balance. You are still performing your duties but you are not putting in extra effort to go above and beyond your job scope.

The hashtag #quietquitting has gained over 277.8M views all over the world. Many users are creating videos on what quiet quitting looks like and how it seems like a common phenomenon around the world.

Why is quiet quitting happening?

Quitting quietly is a strategy for an employee to deal with burnout and relieve stress. When employees feel overwhelmed with work and barely see any positive returns for that piece of work, they lean into quiet quitting. A poll by monster revealed that 60% of workers are quietly resigning since they are underpaid for the work they are asked to undertake.

According to the same Monster survey, 34% thought that quiet quitting was an excuse to be lazy, while 44% stated it wasn't for them because they valued their job and wanted to surpass expectations.

We believe that senior management are not very well equipped to work in the new hybrid work environment. With the right skills, leaders would be able to ensure their employees are not feeling too overwhelmed with work and their feelings and efforts are being appreciated.

What should employers do about quiet quitting.

Without a doubt, more and more employees are subscribing to the idea of quiet quitting, and this movement implies that there is an issue with job satisfaction and a need for a better work-life balance. What should employers do about it? The most obvious answer is, listen to what your employees want.

It is vital to get to the bottom of the problem. Regularly conducting job satisfaction surveys and establishing an efficient departure interview process may assist businesses in better understanding workplace challenges.

A survey by AllVoices found that only 47% of employees are honest when it comes to giving feedback due to the fear of being dismissed. Thus, it is important in reassuring employees to feel comfortable and honest with their feedback.

Employers should also encourage employees to take breaks and paid time off. Taking regular breaks boosts productivity and employee engagement while also encouraging a good relationship between employees and their managers who recognize that time "off" is just as vital as time "on."