What is Quiet Quitting
If you’ve been reading the news lately, you’ve likely seen the term quiet quitting. The term, first used on TikTok, has become a viral sensation over the past few weeks. So what is quiet quitting, and what does it mean for your workforce?
The term quiet quitting is so new, that a formal definition has not yet been defined. In essence, it means only doing the tasks defined in a job description and only during typical working hours. It does not mean actually quitting or even doing the bare minimum, but it does imply that you don’t go the extra mile.
Some see the term as a symptom of employees wanting to coast, while others see it as employees taking back control and not being exploited by doing extra work without recognition or compensation.
An NPR article states, “Quiet quitting is in line with a larger reevaluation of how work fits into our lives and not the other way around. As Gen Z is entering the workforce, the idea of quiet quitting has gained traction as Gen Zers deal with burnout and never-ending demands.”
Quiet quitting is a sign you may need to reevaluate your company culture and could indicate your employees are feeling overworked, unmotivated, directionless, or burnt out. This is a sign that employee engagement is low, and companies need to look internally to better understand how they can serve their employees.
It’s important to talk openly to your employees to get their feedback and understand what they are concerned about. A recent piece from CNN mentions, “find out how they’ve been doing, how they feel about their workload, and whether they’re able to balance it with everything else they have going on. And don’t just give lip service to feel-good ideas — e.g., that work shouldn’t be the only priority in people’s lives. Model the behavior. Be vocal about when you’re leaving, taking a day off, or going offline to be with family, and don’t send emails at all hours of the night.
If employees are feeling undervalued or disengaged, the conversations you have with them should uncover ways of motivating and rewarding them for their work. The days of expecting people to work 60 or 80-hour weeks for 40 hours of pay are gone.
The pandemic and its aftereffects have shifted the landscape significantly back to employees, and companies are taking notice. Quiet quitting is the latest trend to have manifested from this shift. It has become obvious that successful organizations are those that find the balance between work expectations and accountability, and employee empowerment.
If you think you’re experiencing quiet quitting at your company, you may need to evaluate your culture. Actively managing your culture can fundamentally change your organization for the better. To learn more, send us a note.