Thinking of Quiet Quitting? Think Again

Over the past few weeks, there has been a new trend surging on social media platforms of “quiet quitting.” In fact, as of this writing, there has been over 65 million views on TikTok with videos tagged with #quietquitting. 

Despite its name, however, quiet quitting doesn’t actually involve quitting a job. Rather, it is a means for some individuals to change their mindset about work. That is, rather than focusing on the ‘grind’ of work, some individuals are choosing to withhold effort. This may include such tactics as:

• Being less emotionally-invested in one’s work
• Declining tasks outside of one’s formal job description
• Not replying to messages outside of work hours
• Ceasing the habit of going above-and-beyond
• Leaving work on-time

By withholding effort and doing the bare minimum, individuals are able to establish healthier boundaries and greater satisfaction. So, this is a win-win, right? Well, not exactly.

There are several downsides of quiet quitting, including but not limited to:

1. Undermined organizational reputation. If you end up quiet quitting, you will quickly gain a reputation as an underperformer. What are the implications? Well, in the unfortunate case of planned downsizing or termination, your name may rise to the top of the list.
2. Limited future opportunities. The reputational impacts are not likely to stop at your current organization, but could also have implications for your future employment as well. This is because a tarnished reputation at your current job is likely to follow you into your next opportunity, ultimately making it harder for you to secure other employment.
3. Stagnant development. Like any muscle, when not flexed, it is likely to lose overall strength and potential. Your mind is no different. By juggling multiple tasks and taking on stretch assignments, you are keeping your mind sharp. You are also continually gaining new knowledge, skills, and abilities. If you quiet quiet, your personal and professional development is likely to come to a screeching halt. 

So instead of quiet quitting, consider the following strategies:

1. Don’t withhold effort, but better task manage. It is easy to fall into the trap and become overwhelmed with all that you must do. However, instead of withholding effort, seek out strategies to better manage the tasks that you do have. An excellent resource is Getting Things Done by David Allen.
2. Prioritize what’s important. Beyond managing all that you have to get done, also consider prioritizing your tasks so that you know what to tackle first. Using a prioritization matrix, you can tag each task as quick wins (low effort, high impact), fill ins (low effort, low impact), major projects (high effort, high impact), and thankless tasks (high effort, low impact). This should assist you in determining what items are most important for any given moment–increasing your sense of control and lowering your overall stress.
3. Engage management. When in doubt, speak with your leader as open and honest dialogue is likely to facilitate understanding, empathy, and practical solutions. These strategies may range from reprioritization of tasks, re-scoping of your job, or even simply approving a few days off for some extra rest and relaxation.