Quiet Quitting: An Idea Whose Time Has Come?

Today’s topic? Quiet Quitting – the latest business buzz phrase.

A rejection of the Western hustle culture, no work/life balance, little sleep, and burnout, quiet quitting isn’t quitting the job, it’s quitting the crappy parts of the job.  Instead, a person does the minimum at work, opting out of all the emotional baggage that can accompany a job.  And that can be a good thing.

Rejecting a life of checking email 24/7, not taking vacation days, and working 60-80 hours a week, is not a bad thing.  In fact, maybe that’s exactly what we need in order to move the employee engagement needle in a dramatic way and get people to be more productive.

Does quiet quitting stir up a lot of negative emotions for leaders and managers?  Of course. But after working in the business world for 35 years and seeing the toll it can take on people’s personal lives, mental stability, and health, I contest that the demands of organizations need to change; not the attitudes of employees who dare to buck the system.

Jill, What Can I Do?  Every leader and manager should act as a role model.  Sending emails at 3 a.m., not taking vacation days, and working 80 hours a week does not earn you a badge of honor.  It earns you disengaged team members, who mirror your toxic behavior.  People need balance in order to be happy and engaged, and it’s up to you to help create it.