What is Quiet quitting?
Quiet quitting is a new phenomenon that is currently enjoying growing popularity on social media. The so-called silent departure was initiated by generation Z, which is just entering the labor market and openly talks about the problems they face in the professional environment.
Quiet quitting, contrary to appearances, is not about giving up work completely. This phenomenon means the renunciation of a certain cult of work that has taken root in society. This trend has been promoted by TikTok users, particularly in the United States.
Quiet quitting is a complete resignation from the belief that work is the most important value in life. The so-called silent departure is the abandonment of ambitions that go beyond the basic duties of work. People who follow this trend are beginning to set boundaries in the professional environment.
Employees resign from performing additional tasks. They deal only with those duties that will be directly entrusted to them. They don’t help with projects that don’t concern them. They do not take responsibility for additional tasks that are beyond their duties. They become more rational in doing their job and try to regain work-life balance.
According to the „State of the Global Workplace” report conducted in 2022 by the Gallup Institute, only 14 percent. of Europeans are engaged in their work and derive satisfaction from it. For the young generation Z, which has completely different priorities than older generations, maintaining job satisfaction is extremely important. For this reason, generation Z openly talks about their problems and how important it is to maintain a work-life balance, which is what quiet quitting is supposed to help with.
Proponents of silent departure explain that the new trend in the labor market is about changing the way of thinking, changing priorities, counteracting burnout and taking care of your mental health. A recent study by Nationale-Nederlanden showed that nearly 75% of employees in Poland have experienced more stress and deterioration of mental health over the past year, which is a highly alarming result.
Quiet quitting is about stopping getting emotionally involved at work. To realize that outside of work there is a private life that needs to be taken care of. The task of silent departure is therefore to avoid excessive stress caused by a huge number of duties, often exceeding our capabilities. It is also about finding time to rest, to pursue your interests or to spend time with loved ones.
The director of the consulting company Chris Edmonds in a statement for CNN said that the phenomenon of quiet quitting may be a side effect of the coronavirus pandemic. At that time, many people were dismissed, while others had to perform their duties without receiving additional remuneration.
The transition to a remote work model was also important. Remote work increased the number of hours spent „at work”, which then translated into an increased risk of developing burnout. Some employees may be reluctant to return to the old system of stationary work, which translates into frustration and lack of motivation to work in the office.
The pandemic was also an impulse to reflect on our values. Employees may also feel undervalued in the workplace. They wonder why they should do their best at work when managers and/or leaders don’t.
The so-called silent resignation can cause significant changes in the labor market – this is what employers fear. First of all, employers are afraid of a decrease in productivity in the company resulting from less involvement in the performance of professional duties. All this can then have an impact on the deterioration of the results of the entire company. In the face of fears of an economic slowdown, the decline in productivity could become a serious problem. Some companies, such as Google, have announced the possibility of laying off employees before concerns about overall productivity.
What can employers do in such a situation? „It is very important to involve leaders and understand the needs of young people enough to make them want to get involved” – emphasizes Krzysztof Inglot from Personnel Service. The employee should feel appreciated at work. He should feel that he receives adequate remuneration for his work, which is especially important in a period of constantly increasing inflation. Employers’ involvement also plays a role: supporting well-being, promoting mental health and having regular conversations about working conditions.
Supported by Norway through Norway Grants 2014-2021, in the frame of the Programme “Social Dialogue – Decent Work”.
