The Rise of “Quiet Quitting“: What Does It Mean?
“Quiet quitting” has taken social media and workplaces by storm. But what does it really mean? Is it a trendy new term for an age-old concept, or does it signal a deeper shift in the employee-employer relationship?
Understanding the Context: Burnout, Hustle Culture, and the Great Resignation
To grasp the meaning of “quiet quitting,” we need to consider the context in which it emerged. The past few years have been challenging, to say the least. The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a wave of burnout as the lines between work and home blurred. We were suddenly working from our living rooms, attending endless Zoom meetings, and expected to be “always on.” This exacerbated the pre-existing pressure of hustle culture — the relentless pursuit of productivity and achievement, often at the expense of well-being.
Enter the Great Resignation. Exhausted and disillusioned, employees began leaving their jobs in droves, seeking better pay, greater flexibility, and a healthier work-life balance. “Quiet quitting,” in many ways, can be seen as a less drastic response to these same concerns.
