Quiet quitting has become a popular term recently to describe employees who do their required duties at work but no longer go above and beyond. With rising rates of burnout, many are attributing quiet quitting to exhausted and disengaged workers. But is burnout really behind the quiet quitting trend? Let’s explore this complex question.
What is quiet quitting?
Quiet quitting refers to employees who decide to stop working beyond their formal job descriptions and minimum requirements. A quiet quitter still performs their core duties, but no longer takes on extra projects, stays late, or goes above and beyond for their company. This stands in contrast to employees who go the extra mile out of passion or in hopes of promotion.
Some common characteristics of quiet quitters include:
- Working their contracted hours – no more, no less
- Refusing to answer work messages or emails outside of office hours
- Saying “no” to additional tasks and projects
- Declining unpaid overtime
- Stepping back from volunteering for extra responsibilities
The term seems to have originated on TikTok earlier this year and quickly spread across social media. But the behavior itself is not necessarily new – employees have been dialing back extra effort for years. The COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing “Great Resignation” have shone a spotlight on this trend.
What’s behind the rise of quiet quitting?
Multiple factors appear to be converging to drive the quiet quitting phenomenon:
Employee burnout
Burnout is a syndrome resulting from unchecked workplace stress, and it seems to be everywhere these days. Surveys suggest at least 50% of the workforce is experiencing burnout. Symptoms include exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced productivity. As employees battle burnout, it’s no surprise they are cutting back discretionary efforts and “quiet quitting.”
Work-life balance
During the pandemic, many workers reevaluated their priorities and realized they’d sacrificed too much personal time for work. Younger generations especially value work-life balance. Quiet quitting allows people to draw clear boundaries, protecting their off-the-clock time for family, hobbies, and rest.
Lack of recognition
Gallup research shows only about one-third of US employees strongly agree they received recognition or praise in the last week. A lack of appreciation at work breeds quiet quitting behaviors. Why go the extra mile if that exceptional effort is ignored?
Toxic work cultures
From micromanagement to incivility to outright abuse, toxic work cultures drive people to detach emotionally and quiet quit. If the workplace feels psychologically unsafe, quiet quitting allows people to protect their wellbeing.
Stagnant wages
Despite rising costs of living, wages have largely stalled over the past 40 years when accounting for inflation. This understandably breeds quiet quitting, as workers don’t want to go above and beyond when salaries don’t reflect that effort.
Limited advancement
Similarly, the path for advancement has narrowed in many organizations. With limited promotion prospects on the horizon, employees see less incentive to exceed expectations.
Is quiet quitting due to burnout?
It’s clear that today’s unprecedented burnout is a major factor driving the quiet quitting phenomenon. However, it’s likely not the only cause. A complex mix of cultural norms, workplace expectations, and economic realities also seem to be at play. A few considerations around burnout’s role:
- Not all quiet quitters are burned out – some are just pushing back against exploitative workplace cultures or poor leadership.
- While burnout breeds detachment, some employees quietly quit to prioritize their mental health and avoid future burnout.
- Burnout is difficult to measure consistently. While surveys show 50%+ of workers report symptoms, far fewer have received a medical diagnosis.
- The causes and effects of burnout, quiet quitting, and general disengagement overlap and intertwine significantly.
So is quiet quitting just about burnout? In many cases, yes – exhausted employees are cutting back extra duties they can no longer handle. But the drivers behind this trend are complex. And for some quiet quitters, their actions are more about boundary-setting and priorities than pure burnout.
Pros and cons of quiet quitting
Like any workplace trend, quiet quitting has both benefits and drawbacks for employees and employers alike. Evaluating the pros and cons can help individuals and organizations take a balanced approach.
Potential pros of quiet quitting
- Healthier work-life balance – With restored personal time and rest, quiet quitters are at lower risk for future burnout.
- Reduced stress – The pressures of overwork are alleviated when eliminating unpaid overtime and extra duties.
- Greater focus – Cutting back peripheral responsibilities allows more focus on core tasks.
- Higher quality work – Employees have more energy and engagement for crucial responsibilities, potentially boosting quality.
- Empowerment – Employees gain a sense of empowerment when establishing reasonable boundaries.
Potential cons of quiet quitting
- Loss of teamwork – Colleagues may need to pick up slack from quiet quitters dialing back collaboration.
- Lower productivity – Scaling back effort inherently impacts output and results to some degree.
- Reduced innovation – With employees less invested, creative solutions and innovations may decline.
- Damage to career growth – Consistently passing on extra work can limit visibility and promotion opportunities in some organizations.
- Reputation issues – Quitting quietly without explanation can breed resentment or impact relationships with leaders.
Addressing quiet quitting
While quiet quitting is often framed negatively, it presents an opportunity for organizations to identify issues driving burnout and lack of engagement. Some strategies to address quiet quitting include:
- Survey employees and measure job satisfaction, engagement, workload and work-life balance.
- Evaluate policies around remote work, PTO, advancement, etc. Make improvements where needed.
- Provide management training on leading hybrid/remote teams, spotting burnout, giving recognition, and delegating appropriately.
- Facilitate open conversation between employees and leadership on understanding quiet quitting motivations.
- Prioritize diversity, equity and inclusion to build trust and psychological safety.
- Analyze compensation and review if pay is fair based on market rates and employee contributions.
Checking for disconnects between leadership and employee expectations can help identify issues leading to quiet quitting. Strengthening culture, communication, training programs and policies demonstrates investment in the workforce.
Takeaways on quiet quitting and burnout
While today’s Great Resignation is loud, the quiet quitting phenomenon highlights crucial problems around burnout, engagement, work-life balance, and company culture. Key takeaways include:
- Burnout is a major factor driving quiet quitting, but not the only cause.
- Employees are reevaluating priorities and protecting their health, time, and engagement.
- Organizations should measure employee satisfaction and commitment and address any gaps.
- Training managers and improving policies can help address issues fueling quiet quitting.
- When handled strategically, quiet quitting presents opportunities to build company culture and employee wellbeing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the early signs of quiet quitting?
Some early signs that an employee is starting to quietly quit include declining to work extra hours, increased sick days, lack of motivation, stopping volunteering for projects, and general disengagement from their work.
Can quiet quitting get you fired?
Most experts say quiet quitting alone is unlikely to get someone fired, as quiet quitters still complete their core job duties. However, consistently refusing additional tasks or having an overly negative attitude could potentially impact job security in some cases.
Is quiet quitting unethical?
Quiet quitting is generally not considered unethical behavior, as employees have discretion over how much additional effort to exert. However, purposely reducing work quality or being deceptive would be unethical. Quiet quitting motivated solely by laziness rather than wellbeing could also arguably cross ethical lines.
Is quiet quitting worse than normal quitting?
Experts say quiet quitting is generally preferable for employers over employees fully quitting/resigning. With quiet quitting, positions stay filled and core work still gets done. However, the lack of transparency and disengagement of quiet quitting can also cause challenges.
Should I tell my manager if I plan to quietly quit?
It’s generally not advisable to directly tell your manager you plan to start quiet quitting. However, it can be constructive to have candid conversations about feeling overworked, needing work-life balance, lacking resources, etc. Addressing such issues directly can prevent the need for quiet quitting.
Conclusion
While burnout appears to be a central driver, quiet quitting stems from a web of cultural, economic, and workplace health issues. The solution requires understanding employee motivations, reevaluating policies and management practices, and strengthening company culture. With proper strategies, leaders can mitigate quiet quitting and the problems that underlie it – ultimately building a happier, healthier and more engaged workforce.