My thoughts on Quiet Quitting

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place. ” – Crucial Conversations

Have you heard about the new concept trending on social media called “quiet quitting”? I have to admit, I’m not on Tik Tok. I haven’t seen the original video that started this trend back in July, but I have read a lot about it. In case you’re not familiar with the term, here’s a little recap:

This term was coined by a Tik Tok user who suggests that folks should no longer go above and beyond at their jobs. Rather, they should practice “quiet quitting,” which is “limiting your job output and tasks to only those that are strictly stated in your job description—not taking on more duties and tasks than your current role specifies and perhaps even doing the least you can to complete the job required, but doing that well.” (Kathy Caprino, Forbes.) Another article I read interpreted the trend as being about “consciously deciding to put in less effort at your job. The hope is to avoid burnout and work just hard enough to not get fired.” (Liz Jassin, Ashleigh Banfield, Fox4).

From what I can tell, it’s been interpreted a number of ways. Not gonna lie, I’m struggling with this one, friends. I’m a huge advocate for life balance and boundary setting and for sharing struggles openly and authentically. And I know first hand how difficult all of this can seem. This concept of “quiet quitting” just doesn’t feel like any of that to me. It feels more like a passive attempt to resolve feeling overworked, overburdened, out of balance and burned out, without having to broach a perceived uncomfortable conversation. And my fear is that it could have negative repercussions for the folks who choose to put this into practice and their teams. 

Here are some things I recommend we all be mindful of… If you, as an individual contributor, learned about quiet quitting and thought “Yes! That’s just what I need,” then I encourage you ask yourself the following questions: 

• Have I established clear boundaries with my clients/ colleagues/ managers which are not being respected?
• Have I successfully articulated to my leader how I have been feeling (burned out, overworked, underpaid, stalled in my career) and feel that I have not been heard?
• Am I organizing my time and calendar well to ensure I use my work hours as efficiently as possible and still can’t get all of my work done?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, it may be time to have a conversation with your HR team. If you answered those questions with a “no,” but you are unsure of how to proceed, please schedule time for us to connect. (And/or keep reading for some tips!)

Many of the feelings “quiet quitting” is trying to solve for can be relieved with proactive behaviors, language and mindset shifts. In the workplace, I’m typically an “above and beyond” kind of employee – and I know many of you are as well. The idea of quietly taking a step back from how I typically show up at work just doesn’t sit well with me. Instead of the quiet or passive approach, my hope is that we can find the courage to talk through how we are feeling. Rather than quietly quitting, let’s actively take control of our lives, our fulfillment and joy! Prepare and plan to articulate clear boundaries, prioritize tasks and establish core values which can guide your life and your decisions. Vulnerability and communication are key! I know it can seem scary to broach these topics with your supervisor, and I also know that our minds tend to create narratives that seem much scarier than the real situation would be. Because of these mental narratives, many times important conversations never actually happen. 

If you are a leader of others, here are some things I’d like you to ask yourself: 

• Am I respecting my team members’ boundaries?
• Do I proactively check in on their individual well-being?
• Am I asking what my team members have on their priority list before I add to their workload?
• Am I looking at the big picture and having discussions with HR for talent planning purposes?
• Do I tend to give my high performers more work to avoid addressing unsatisfactory performance of others?
• Do I check in with myself and lead by example? 

Whether you are a leader of others or not, open and honest communication about how you are feeling is the best way for individuals and organizations to continue to succeed and truly thrive. Ask yourself if you are assuming positive intent or labeling your organization and its leaders as uncaring If you have been quietly “quiet quitting” the past few weeks, or have been thinking about it, please reach out. Let’s determine the best way to resolve this together and get you back to a happier, healthier mindset and existence.