Quiet Quitting or Setting Boundaries? What the Latest Work Trend Really Means
The Rise of “Quiet Quitting”
It’s the phrase on everyone’s lips, splashed across headlines and sparking heated debates on LinkedIn: “quiet quitting.” But what does it really mean? Is it a revolutionary act of self-preservation in the face of unreasonable work demands or a worrying symptom of a disengaged workforce? The answer, like most things, is nuanced.
Understanding the Backdrop: The Great Resignation
The concept of “quiet quitting” emerged in the wake of the Great Resignation, a period marked by unprecedented numbers of employees leaving their jobs. This mass exodus, fueled by pandemic-induced burnout and a desire for better work-life balance, forced companies to confront the realities of employee dissatisfaction.
“Quiet quitting” resonated with those feeling overworked and underappreciated. It describes the act of doing the bare minimum at work— fulfilling your job description but not going above and beyond, declining extra projects, and prioritizing personal time over late nights at the office.
