What is quiet quitting?

During the last months, there has been a term that has gained relevance in the eyes of modern professionals. We are talking about quiet quitting. This is a concept that went viral on social media, gaining the support of many workers and the confusion of some employers. The idea of quiet quitting lead us to ask ourselves at what point does work become excessive. When is it fair to set boundaries for work? These are questions that are important to make. 

Are you familiar with the idea of quiet quitting? This is a relevant trend for modern professionals and organizations. At T2W we have an extensive experience in talent management and Human Resources services, so we can shed some light on this trend. In this article we’ll delve into quiet quitting and its main causes. 

What is quiet quitting? 

Imagine that in your job you are constantly receiving phone calls and text messages from your boss, even when your working hours are over. In addition, you are regularly writing emails and completing tasks during weekends. At one point, you have enough of it and stop dealing with job-related matters out of your working hours. Well, that would be a case of quiet quitting. 

Quiet quitting happens when an employee stops going the extra mile and just makes the minimal necessary effort. People start ignoring any task or activity that happens out of the regular working hours. In a context where most companies encourage employees to give 110% at work, quiet quitting comes as an unpleasant surprise for some organizations. 

On the other hand, quiet quitting is not just working less. In many cases, the engagement level of employees with the organization’s integration activities also reduces. As we can notice from the way it affects people, while this is being called a new trend, quiet quitting has been happening for some years now. 

Causes of quiet quitting 

The pandemic 

In 2020, the impact of Coronavirus changed completely the vision people had on their personal and professional lives. The severity of the situation led professionals to make a deep self-assessment to find what was really important for them. Many started to question if working more than 10 hours daily was actually good for their lives. Some people that used to be focused only in their job rediscovered the importance of family and friends and focused on strengthening their social relationships. 

The philosophy of hustle 

On the other hand, we need to consider the effects of the philosophy of hustle on employees. As you may know, the hustle philosophy moves people to work hard and focus all their efforts on achieving their professional goals. That intense work pace can cause burnout syndrome cases among workers. That forces people to distance themselves from work to reduce stress levels. 

The Great Resignation 

We must also add another important trend in the work world such as the Great Resignation. Keep in mind that this important phenomenon is caused by the lack of professional growth, scarce benefits, toxic work environments, among other factors. Considering all those aspects, quiet quitting is a consequence that shouldn’t surprise anybody. 

A fair trend 

At this point, some people might be asking if quiet quitting is a fair trend. There are probably many different interpretations for this situation. However, what cannot be denied is that this is a trend. Why is that important? Because trends only show the general direction of interests and needs today. If most employees feel they need to find balance between their personal and professional life, it’s because it is actually necessary. 

At first glance, this might paint an unsettling picture for some businesses. However, upon a closer inspection of the problem, this trend aligns perfectly with employee wellness. Keep in mind that for modern organizations it’s important prioritizing the wellbeing of the people. From this approach, we have employee wellness programs that aim to satisfy different needs of workers.  

In any case, if employees are looking for balance at work, it represents more an opportunity than a threat. Knowing the interests of modern professionals help us designing a better talent attraction plan. That can be paired with benefits and a working style in line with modern needs. The result of such actions could be a higher retention rate as well as better employee performance.  

Now you know all about quiet quitting and its main causes. Keep in mind that this is a trend and as such, it only reflects people disposition. It’s vital for modern organizations to adapt to these changes in order to keep relevant in the job market. 

At Talent2Win, we strive to align your company’s business objectives with the best Talent Acquisition strategies available. If you want to learn more about the services we offer, do not hesitate to contact us.