Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, workplaces around the globe have seen monumental changes to their workforces – whether it be in the form of remote working, increased resignations or early retirements, or simply the shift to prioritising work-life balance. In light of these changes, a new phenomenon is taking the internet by storm: quiet-quitting.
With 4.6 million views, the trend even has its own hashtag on TikTok, but what exactly is quiet-quitting? Featuring in an article published by GQ, UCL School of Management Professor Anthony Klotz describes the phenomenon as “withdrawal, disengagement, or neglect”, and argues that it is often the result of employees feeling “like their company has under-invested in them”.
Rejecting hustle culture mentality, quiet-quitters are no longer prepared to go above and beyond for companies that they feel do not appreciate them, opting instead to simply perform the duties of their job description and finish on time. It is, according to the GQ article, a conscious effort to prioritise the wellbeing of the employee, rather than the business. To reduce the prevalence of quiet-quitting, Anthony argues, employers should invest in their employees.
