Quitting a job is nothing new
People quit their jobs all the time.
However, this usually is a process that involves a resignation letter, two weeks’ notice and a ‘good luck in your future endeavors’ type of farewell.
However, recently a new term has been gaining popularity on social media– quiet quitting
Apparently, quiet quitting is a new term for a series of behaviours dissatisfied employees show towards unfavourable work environments.
Contrary to popular opinion, quiet quitting doesn’t actually involve leaving a job. It’s more concerned with how employees react to their work environment, while working.
What is quiet quitting?
Quiet quitting is a state of disengagement. When a team member is disengaged from their responsibilities, management, colleagues or company’s culture, they perform in a way that does not jeopardise their employment, but loudly signals their work dissatisfaction. Actually, for such dissatisfied employees, physically quitting their job position may soon be an impending reality.
Quiet quitting takes multiple forms. These include a person doing the bare minimum – performing tasks in their job description and nothing more. It also includes accepting responsibilities from their sole, direct superior or only assisting certain colleagues with work.
Very often though, a team member who engages in quiet quitting does not render assistance to anyone, in any way. That person may simply come to work and complete their daily duties to the point where it’s barely satisfactory.
Quiet quitters also leave work promptly at their designated time and isolate themselves from colleagues. Quiet quitting can also be an umbrella term for team members who are “mentally checked out”, “shutting down”, or “doesn’t seem to care anymore”
Signs of quiet quitting
Common quiet quitting signs to observe are:
- Lack of helpfulness to other staff
- A decrease in the quality of their work to the point where it’s just ‘good enough’
- Indifferent, nonchalant or uninterested work attitude
- Refusing to play a role or avoidance of company events
- No ‘small talk’ between colleagues. All communication is simply work related and very direct, concise or blunt
- Refusing to work beyond working hours. No coming in early or working overtime.
- Lack of engagement and interest in meetings
- Lack of empathy to the activities of other staff members or company interests
- Setting boundaries to only doing work they are ‘getting paid to do’ mandated by their job description
Rationale behind quiet quitting
Quiet quitting does not happen overnight. Very often, it builds when an employee repeatedly feels unfairly treated, exploited, overlooked, overworked or even abused. An employee in this situation engages in quiet quitting to protect against a toxic workplace and prevent further exploitation until more options are available.
Other reasons for quiet quitting include:
They do not enjoy the work
Employees who dread getting up every day and going to a workplace they dislike eventually wanes in their performance. If they cannot afford to immediately switch jobs, they will engage in quiet quitting so as to not dedicate too much energy into something they lack interest.
Grievance against a boss or colleague
People shut down on the job because of grievances held against managers or colleagues. If the person they hold animosity towards holds a higher position and they cannot express their dissatisfaction as a result of that, they will engage in quiet quitting as a form of protest or rebellion towards the boss they are internally upset with.
Poor employee morale
Certain incidents may have occurred which leave employees feeling displaced, used or taken for granted. Such employees will have very little motivation to go above and beyond for their employer. They may simply engage in quiet quitting, collect their salary and survive until better can be done.
Stress or burnout
Often, quiet quitting is not necessarily an internal attack or form of rebellion. Sometimes, it can be a way for stressed employees to manage daily responsibilities without breaking down. A person may feel overworked and stick to their compulsory list of duties to prevent further exhaustion. They may also isolate themselves as they believe no one understands their struggle and to avoid being perceived as ungrateful or a complainer.
They are on their way out
Once top-performing employees start displaying quiet quitting behaviour, it’s possible they are planning to actually quit the job very soon. They may have already secured another job position. Given that they are leaving soon, they may dip their performance levels as they see no benefit in going above and beyond for a position they are planning to leave soon.
Measures to address quiet quitting
If you are feeling burnt out, exploited, demotivated or overworked at work, there are measures to adopt which include:
Having open dialogue
If you have a grievance against a colleague have a conversation. People wouldn’t know what you’re experiencing if you remain silent or isolate yourself. If you’re experiencing abuse, overwork, burn out or exploitation at work, speak to your manager before it gets worse.
Be upfront with information
Caribbean countries are small in terms of networks. If you choose to quiet quit and leave your job in poor taste, this can haunt you later when you may need your previous employer to give you a recommendation.
You’re sabotaging yourself
Work boundaries can be healthy. No one should feel exploited or overworked. However, if you’re doing the bare minimum and not being helpful to colleagues, you’re damaging your reputation. No one person is an island and quiet quitting habits can lead to your co-workers not wanting to return the favour and render assistance to you when needed.
Not beneficial in the long-term
Quiet quitting is not a beneficial long-term strategy. It offers you no growth, rewards or fulfillment. Quiet quitting in the long-term inevitably makes you a non-team player. You will be regarded as a liability or burden and continue to get overlooked for advancement. If the company chooses to downsize or outsource some of its operations, you will be among the first to be laid off.
