IF you have been on TikTok in the past month or so, it is likely that you might have heard of “quiet quitting”, something that is rising in popularity among millennial and Gen Z professionals in particular.
The “quiet quitting” kerfuffle went viral several weeks ago when a 20-something engineer Zaid Khan introduced millions of people to the idea via a 17-second video on TikTok.
“I recently learned about this term called ‘quiet quitting’ where you’re not outright quitting your job, but you’re quitting the idea of going above and beyond,” he said, juxtaposed with a video of the New York City subway.
“You are still performing your duties, but you are no longer subscribing to the hustle culture mentally that work has to be our life. The reality is it’s not, and your worth as a person is not defined by your labour.”
The phrase went mainstream from there: for some, “quiet quitting” was about mentally checking out from work while for others, it became about doing less or simply doing the work that fulfils their job requirements and setting boundaries with their employers.
“In essence, this phenomenon can be described as workers refusing to go beyond what is expected of them in their jobs,” affirmed Aisling Group founder and managing director Melissa Norman.
“Employees who belong to this group are focused on retaking control of their time and setting boundaries; in turn, they reject the idea that work should be the central focus of their lives.”
But while the term “quiet quitting” might be new, the concept has been around for some time – under different names, for generations – and it is not restricted to just the United States.
“The older generations might have called it ‘slacking off’ or ‘coasting’ and the phenomenon has been studied under various labels for decades, namely ‘disengagement’, ‘neglect’ and ‘withdrawal’,” Norman noted.
She further acknowledged that there are several factors contributing to the “quiet quitting” phenomenon such as a shift in attitude to work brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, which is at the core of many workplace trends today.
“As a result of the lack of sense of connection to their work and the desire to focus on family and personal life, some employees are not as willing to engage in a ‘hustle culture’ as they used to be,” she elaborated.
Healthier work boundaries
Workplace experts have argued that the phenomenon suggests that employees are committing to healthier work boundaries and aren’t just slacking off or not making an effort.
Maria Kordowicz, PhD, associate professor in organisational behaviour at the University of Nottingham, for instance, noted that quiet quitting is about a conscious effort to uphold our wellbeing in the way we work and become more boundaried in line with our developmental needs rather than risk burnout through working long hours of defining ourselves simply through our work.
“I see people protecting time to reconnect with nature, travel and crucially with one another, helping to uphold their psychological and spiritual health,” the director of the Centre for Interprofessional Education and Learning was quoted as saying by Verywell Mind, a portal committed to mental health and psychology topics.
Indeed, when people aren’t overworking themselves, they have more time for everything else, be it spending more time with their families, looking after their bodies and minds, or simply taking part in their favourite activities.
But while this is the case, Aisling Group’s Norman opined that ‘quiet quitting’ can be troubling as it has the potential to go beyond simply striking a better work-life balance.
“When employees are disengaged, they can easily become complacent and not want to work hard enough to advance in their careers or develop skills and knowledge that will help grow them and the companies they serve,” she pointed out.
“There is also a possibility that their lack of motivation and flexibility can affect their ability to work in a team setting, and this situation might not be ideal for HR to manage.”
This therefore begs the question: What can human resources (HR) do to address this phenomenon and possibly nip it in the bud?
“As a starting point, managers and leaders should strive, as much as possible, to prevent this phenomenon from happening before its time,” Norman stressed.
“As an employer, you can use this as an opportunity to re-engage your employees by asking them what interests them in their work and letting them determine their priorities.”
Keeping the lines of communication open is another way to ensure that employees feel heard and appreciated when a job is done well, and this also applies to tasks that are completed during normal working hours, rather than just those that require long hours of dedication, she added.
Norman also pointed out that HR should recognise and respond to the different concepts of work and work-from-home environments that exist today and identify ways to make these inviting and comfortable for employees across generational divides.
“In today’s crowded work environment, it’s easy to feel isolated and buried, resulting in employees completing only a minimum level of work or no work at all,” she elaborated.
“Providing personalised tools and feedback to employees is critical to companies’ success and innovation. Eventually, small steps can yield big results that are mutually beneficial to both parties.” – Sept 15, 2022
Main photo credit: Bloomberg
