We’ve adopted a new vocabulary when it comes to office jargon and buzzwords. From waist-up fashion to Zooming and hybrid working, we have a whole host of terms. And one of the most recent is “quit quitting.”
During the unprecedented events that surrounded the pandemic, people began to explain and name new processes and phenomena. We continue to do this even though the lockdown has ended.
Recently, ‘Quiet Quitting’ has joined other terms like “quiet thriving” and “presenteeism” in the dictionary of post-pandemic work life. What is it? Why are so many people talking about it? This is explored in our new guide, HR 2023 and Beyond. We have exclusive data and statistics on this topic.
Quiet quitting is a term that has been used to describe a number of different things.
Quiet quitting is a term that was coined recently to describe employees who do not take on extra duties and do not participate in extracurricular activities but choose to work as they are paid to.
This suggests, of course, that employees in the world before lockdown took on additional responsibilities, or were expected by their employers to do so, that were not specified in either their job description or contracts.
For as long as we can remember, many people have argued that this has always been a necessary part of progressing within an organization. With the rise of social networks and the business world being turned on its head, this is now being recognized as a trend, especially among young people.
Should I be concerned?
Managers at all levels are likely to be scanning their teams across the country for signs of this new phenomenon. This is expected to happen in offices around the world without anyone realizing it.
In our research, we found that 32% of HR professionals had noticed it in their organization, and 95% agreed this negatively affected them. Is it because we do not fully understand the reasons behind quitting in our organizations?
Why are people quite quitting?
It all comes down to the individual and how they want to progress in their career. It is normal for employees to be comfortable in their current position and not want to move on. On the other hand, it’s also natural for some to aim higher.
If we go back through history, the office culture has taught us that employees who do not go “above and beyond” are not fully committed to their job or company. This lack of commitment reflects negatively on them. This is not the way it should be.
Burnout is a result of too much work, as people are unable to separate it from home. Burnout is a result of too much work, as people cannot separate their jobs and personal lives. It meant people had to work longer hours and take on extra tasks not related to their job title.
Many people realized that they were not being compensated for their extra hours or responsibilities and decided to quit. The ‘Great Resignation,’ which saw thousands of workers quit their jobs or quietly quit, was the result.
It doesn’t necessarily mean that employees are not committed to their jobs or unhappy. This is a simple way to manage employee expectations so that they don’t feel overworked or under-rewarded.
Managers should be proactive in understanding the goals of employees and their current workload. They can express their dreams and aspirations without fear of judgment.
The right way to manage quiet quitting is essential.
Natural HR’s Free Guide: Learn more
Our goal was to understand how HR professionals viewed the changes in the business environment over the past year. The free report HR in 2023 & Beyond identifies challenges, initiatives, and priorities that organizations need to tackle and lead going forward.