So, who is responsible for quiet quitting? Just like hybrid work, the toggle tax and the others, the term is getting lots of clicks and views. Someone writing a Wikipedia entry about it claims quiet quitting was coined at a conference in Bolivia in 2009, but its origin is not really important. The larger point is that quiet quitting is not a new phenomenon. It is, in fact, human nature.
If you work me too hard, I’ll begin to burnout. When I reach a certain threshold, I will begin to slowdown, work more deliberately, and keep to the exact hours I am supposed to. I am not doing this out of revenge. I am doing this to protect myself. Part of the psychology of burnout, for many, is the dissonance between their natural desire to do a good job and feeling unable to because they feel overwhelmed.
Some people press on, such as those in the caring professions, trying desperately to make a difference out of fear of what will happen if they don’t. Others get fed up and retreat into a routine of “I’m only going to do exactly what I need to do because the organization is taking advantage of me.” Whether this is true or not is irrelevant. It is the belief that counts.
All of this is influenced, of course, by what people hear in the media, on social media and from friends and co-workers. If the term quiet quitting explains what they’re feeling, then they naturally look for other sources to confirm these emotions.
A big of part of the national conversation about all this is its impact on productivity. Quiet quitting is not about quitting. It is about the amount of work a person does during a given day. Since the time of the great recession more than a decade ago, we all seem to be doing more with less – less time, less people, less resources. Some of this has been enabled by digital technology. Because of the pandemic and the shortage of workers in some industries, some employers are saying, “We’ll make do with fewer people and replace the rest with technology.” But the solution is not that black and white. The shift to technology will take time and lots of transition. During this transition, we have to be careful that we’re not burning out the very people who are keeping everything working. If we don’t, they will being to quietly quit.
When I reflect on the millions who have not returned to the workforce after the pandemic, a percentage of these people just don’t want to return to the pressure-filled environment they left so abruptly. Some have the resources to retire. Some are getting by with less. Some have found alternative sources of income such as gig work. If they are to return, they’ll need to be reassured that they’ll not be jumping back into the same overwhelming environment.
So, what can leaders and managers do to manage quiet quitting? Look for my post next week. I’ll share what I am finding in my research.