The Rise of “Quiet Quitting”
The term “quiet quitting” has recently taken the internet by storm, sparking conversations from water coolers to social media feeds. Everyone seems to have an opinion on this workplace phenomenon—from frustrated managers to burned-out employees. But what does this buzzword really mean? Is it a sign of widespread disengagement, a symptom of a broken work culture, or simply a new term for an age-old concept?
Understanding the Context: Why Now?
The COVID-19 pandemic undeniably reshaped our relationship with work. Remote work blurred the lines between personal and professional lives, often resulting in longer hours and heavier workloads. This, combined with economic uncertainty and a general sense of precarity, has left many feeling overworked and undervalued.
Enter “quiet quitting.” While seemingly new, the term encapsulates a feeling many have experienced for years—that feeling of simply doing the bare minimum at work, no longer going above and beyond, and mentally checking out.
