What Is Quiet Quitting? It's High Time Workplaces Confront It

When was the last time you did something at work and only did it as you were ordered? If it turned out to be a long time ago, then you’re most likely not alone.

Whether the pandemic is to blame or not, something about the way we work has changed over the past years. It’s not just the fact that most companies have shifted to remote or hybrid work setups. Nor is it even how many of us have been using more digital tools than before. But also, it seems that some of us have now embraced what the world refers to as quiet quitting. Which, surprisingly, has more to do about how you manage your work than employee attrition or resignation.

So what is quiet quitting? Read on to learn more as well as its potential pros and cons.

Also read: 20 Things To Consider Before Resigning

What Is Quiet Quitting?

According to a study by US-based analytics company Gallup, half of 1,000 Philippine workers that they surveyed experienced stress daily. This is the highest among the data the company gathered from Southeast Asia in 2021. That makes one wonder — exactly what is it about their work that is putting them in such an ordeal? The quiet quitting phenomenon might have the answer.

In simplest terms, quiet quitting is doing the work you only agreed to take with the compensation you are receiving. Think of the words “overperforming”, “exceeding expectations”, and “working beyond the call of duty”. Quiet quitting is precisely the opposite of all these! It’s not about impressing your boss all the time with what results you can produce in a single day. Rather, did you come out of your workplace (an office or elsewhere) feeling fulfilled that you did what you were supposed to do without burning yourself out?

Among many viral TikTok videos on quiet quitting likewise mentioned that with this concept, one is no longer “subscribing to the hustle culture mentality that work has to be your life.” Because the truth is, it’s much more than that, and doing so is already hurting you more than you know. “Your worth as a person is not defined by your labor,” the user also added.

Is Quiet Quitting Good Or Bad?

Knowing more about the topic, it would appear that quiet quitting has more negative than positive insinuation. After all, what’s so wrong with overachieving when you’re optimizing the opportunities of the company while challenging yourself more? Alternatively, what say do people have should you decide to choose your well-being over performance?

Below, let’s take a better look at some of the key implications of the concept through these quiet quitting advantages and disadvantages for employees.

Why quiet quitting can be good

Better work-life balance

Perhaps one of the most visible good outcomes of doing the bare minimum at work is ensuring that you still have a life outside of it. By making it a point to log in and out of work on time or sticking to your primary duties, you will have more time and energy to enjoy precious moments with your loved ones. Not to mention, attend to your hobbies or other sources of income that also give you fulfillment.

Less stress or burnout

It’s quite simple — when you only get to stick to the work that you signed up for and even only know how to do — you’re likely to feel less exhausted at the end of the day. There’s no pressure of cramming too many tasks. And you don't have to force yourself to do things you don’t know or feel like doing, to begin with. It may take some time to adapt to if you’ve already pretty much been doing it. But welfare-wise, know that it’s worth it.

Maximizing work quality

When you opt to do the things that you’re only paid to do, chances are you can invest more time in making sure that you actually do them right. That is, rather than doing it just for its sake and risk losing the quality of your work from juggling several things at one time. Especially those that your mandate doesn't require you to do as per your agreement with your company.

Also read: How to Boost Your Energy at Work

Why quiet quitting can be bad

Excuse for laziness

Let’s get something straight. Being a “quiet quitter” is not the same as being a lazy worker or a freeloader. However, for companies who haven’t quite grasped the idea of bare minimum work, it would definitely seem that way. Ergo, it could leave a bad impression on your colleagues that you’re someone who simply can’t be trusted or relied on when it matters.

Grounds for termination

When you’re seen as an employee who isn’t being productive as the rest, leaders of your company might get the wrong idea and penalize you for disengagement or even insubordination. Even when you just happen to always finish your tasks on or ahead of time! If this happens, then you might put yourself at risk of being terminated from the company.

Opportunity to move up

There are some benefits of overperforming too. These include discovering more about yourself in terms of strengths that you didn’t know were there. When you can offer more to the table than what others are asking you, your managers could see you as someone who’s ready to take on a bigger role. Whereas if you choose quiet quitting, you might end up in the same position for a while and never get the chance to climb the career ladder.

Also read: These Skills Can Help You Get Ahead in Your Career

What Quiet Quitting Says About Our Work Culture

From employers’ perspective, quiet quitting is the result of a number of things you may or may not have control over. Perhaps the pandemic has caused them to trim down their workforce and distribute some tasks to the remaining employees, who then feel the pressure to hustle more. Separate studies by Deloitte Global and Milieu Insight, for instance, found that Filipino workers who experience burnout cited overworking as a top factor for what they’re going through.

The idea that bosses are responsible for employees quiet quitting is also supported by this Harvard Business Review report. According to the research, employees who trust their leaders are more likely to go the extra mile at their job.

All things considered, the concept of quiet quitting tells not just the fact that workplaces have evolved a lot. But also, that they might actually have done it for the worse, not the other way around. In other words, employers must take whatever steps they can to reassess the way they manage their people. As for you as an employee, the decision is always yours whether you want to be an advocate of quiet quitting, or a victim of it.

Confront Quiet Quitting–or Seek Better Opportunities

As mentioned, quiet quitting can be seen as both a good and bad thing depending on how you are on your job. But if worse comes to worst, it’s perfectly acceptable to #SeekBetter options within or even outside the company. 

JobStreet’s Career Tools, for example, can equip you to take on the next steps, whatever they may be, with its very own career guides. Among them are a Salary Calculator, Career Development Planner, and Interview Practice Tool.

If you want more guidance on which path to take, download the JobStreet app on Google Play or App Store. Here, you can find all kinds of job-related insights via Career Resources. Meanwhile, to explore career opportunity ideas and options that work for you, create or update your JobStreet profile now.