“Quiet quitting.” It’s a term, and an idea, that’s not-so-quietly gathering steam. And also one we need to quit on. I first noticed it in July, on the heels of a viral TikTok video by @zkchillin. “You’re not outright quitting your job, but you’re quitting the idea of going above and beyond” he says. "You’re still performing your duties, but you’re no longer subscribing to the hustle culture mentality that work has to be your life. The reality is, it’s not, and your worth as a person is not defined by your labor.” Since then, like an invasive species, the term has caught on, with recent write-ups in Fortune, HuffPost, USA TODAY and The Wall Street Journal, among others. Quiet quitting clearly entered our work conversation, but here’s why we need to keep it out of our work lives. Quiet quitting isn’t just about quitting on a job, it’s a step toward quitting on life. Yes, we shouldn’t be defined by our work. But at the same time, if work is at least eight hours of our day, are we saying these are hours we’re willing to simply go through the motions, with the inevitable boredom that’s bound to ensue? Work can give us meaning and purpose. It’s part of a thriving life. We should absolutely reject “hustle culture” and burnout (I believe this so strongly I founded a company with that as its mission). But rejecting burnout doesn’t mean rejecting the possibility of finding joy in our work, loving our work. Going above and beyond doesn’t have to mean allowing ourselves to be burned out. Pushing ourselves beyond the bare minimum is how we grow, evolve and expand our possibilities. The Great Resignation is still going on. If you’re not engaged by your job, there’s less stigma to simply switching jobs and finding one that motivates you. Burnout is of course still with us, but the desire to do something about it has never been higher. According to a report from Deloitte, 95% of C-suite executives agree they should be responsible for employee well-being, and 83% say they’ll do more on the issue in the next few years. So instead of quiet quitting, how about “joyful joining”? Rather than go through the motions in a job you’ve effectively quit on, why not find one that inspires you, engages you and brings you joy? We have, after all, a once-in-a-generation opportunity to redefine how we work and live. Let’s not settle on quiet quitting. #joyfuljoining #work #culture
Hear! Hear! I recently wrote about this topic with a similar perspective and opinion. If you don’t lean in and go the extra mile at work, how can you do it in any part of your life? People shouldn't expect others to pick up their slack because they decided to become anti-hustle. Yes, it is great to create a better work/life balance, but slacking on the job because you’re feeling underappreciated and underpaid is not the answer. Why waste precious time doing something you hate? If an employee doesn't want to contribute to their boss's dream anymore, then they need to pull up their big girl/boy panties and pursue their own dream. No one is stopping them but them.
Spot on
People who come from a place of wealth and privilege get to have the luxury of "joyful joining".
Joyful joining? Pffff, tell that to the overworked single mother with 2 jobs, trying to simply survive. Or anyone in a toxic work environment. Or just about anyone who has been putting in those extra hours for years, without getting any recognition or reward. No, your 'JJ' idea sounds nice in theory, but is in practice only viable for those who actually have the financial room to do so. And this in the current climate, unfortunately, means that most of us are damn well making the healthy choice to prioritize their health and family before some faceless company who only looks at profit, and doesn't give a damn whether their employees get stuck in a warehouse somewhere with a tornado raging outside. Or teenagers get yelled at by overworked managers because his double espresso wasn't made fast enough. Or to the bleached blond Karen who wants to talk to their manager, because she feels entitled enough to scream to them because they didn't smile enough whilst jumping through her every hoop.
Absolutely agree, "Pushing ourselves beyond the bare minimum is how we grow, evolve and expand our possibilities" - couldn't agree more, spot on!
Arianna, no offense, but this is intense unhinged corpo behavior. Stop it.
Quiet quitting is not about slacking off but about doing what you are paid for in a boring, often low-paid, dead-end job, which you are forced to do in order to survive.
Your point of view is very interesting and motivating however I believe it comes more from a place where the employer/company doesn't necessarily appreciate the employee's effort and dedication. For Gen Z, we come from a place where we have so much to offer and since we're just starting our professional journey and ready to face challenges and tackle them full on with all our energy and we're very invested to prove ourselves. However, if in return we don't feel the appreciation of the efforts that are being done quiet quitting is what protects us and our mental health because we give so much of ourselves to grow, learn and expand in our lives that it sometimes becomes very draining. Quiet quitting in the case where the employer does not value the employee is actually creating a boundary that you just do what is necessary and you don't go above and beyond for a place that doesn't appreciate you. In this case, finding a new job and a new challenge with a healthy environment can light that spark again that has been dimmed.
Great perspective.