What Is Quiet Quitting And What It Means To Employees
Learn about quiet quitting in the workplace and why young professionals in Malaysia are setting boundaries to maintain balance at work.
By Kimberly Chang on 2023-11-27 at 7:11 AM
Updated on 2024-08-28 at 2:43 AM
How Quiet Quitting Started
It all began when Zaid Khan, a 24-year-old software engineer and musician in New York posted a Tiktok video about quiet quitting that has since garnered worldwide attention, sending the corporate world into overdrive.
What is Quiet Quitting?
Picture this: you turn up to work physically each day but mentally, you check out and do the absolute bare minimum to get by. When the clock strikes 6, that’s your cue to walk out the door.
Quiet quitting in the workplace does not mean resigning from a job but rather involves employees choosing to perform only their assigned tasks without taking on additional responsibilities or working overtime.
It may sound like the act of someone silently leaving the company or “going on strike”, but it actually refers to the rejection of hustle culture, the state of putting work above everything else in your life.
This behaviour is often a response to burnout, dissatisfaction, or a desire to maintain a healthier work-life balance. Essentially, quiet quitting is about setting boundaries at work and avoiding the hustle culture that demands constant overachievement.
Truth be told, there are definitely slackers on every team who take advantage of the quiet quitting trend. Ultimately, it still comes down to the real root cause of what’s happening: creating boundaries and balance at work.
Generating millions of views on TikTok and major social media sites, quiet quitting is the way young professionals reject the idea of going above and beyond at work. The term sheds new light on workplace culture and has recently opened up a new debate, particularly about how employees of different generations relate to their jobs.
With the impending economic downturn and recent pandemic, productivity levels are seen as a major concern to employers. They view quiet quitting as being lazy and slacking at work. However, an organisational psychologist at Wharton, Adam Grant said that when employees don’t feel cared about, they would eventually stop caring.
It’s no coincidence that the idea has been linked to Gen Z, the majority of whom are at the beginning of their careers. They are starting to realise that all the money in the world is not worth sacrificing personal time and losing hours of sleep.
Why are employees quiet quitting?
The idea is believed to be an adaptation of China’s “lying flat” movement, commonly known as “tang ping”, which sees young people taking a break from relentless work that offer little reward in pursuit of a more balanced lifestyle. The movement took off in 2021 when the pandemic hit. Many felt overwhelmed by the pressure to outperform their peers and achieve greater heights in these unsettling times.
Hence, the youth are being more vocal about merely doing what’s written in the job description, which comes off as a pretty loud statement to their bosses. David, a creative director from Yorkshire said that employees these days are getting blamed for actually doing what is required of them.
Quiet quitting is cited as a reaction to hustle culture, job dissatisfaction, stagnant or low wages, as well as burnout and stress. The sheer fact that people are quiet quitting highlights the emotional distress employees face daily to perform beyond their KPIs.
A survey conducted by ResumeBuilder.com found that there are about 30% of employees between ages 25 – 34 doing the bare minimum at work, compared to 8% of workers over the age of 54.
In the era of the baby boomers, staying in a company for the entirety of your career was the norm. But times have changed. Autonomy and work life balance are highly valued over an established hierarchy of responsibility in the modern workplace.
The Impact of Quiet Quitting on Careers in Malaysia
Understanding the impact of quiet quitting on careers is essential for both employers and employees in Malaysia. While it might help in maintaining a work-life balance, it can also have negative implications, such as:
Limited Career Growth: By not going beyond their basic job requirements, employees may miss out on opportunities for professional development, promotions, or raises. Employers often view those who do more than their share as more committed and deserving of advancement.
Strained Relationships: Quiet quitting can strain relationships with colleagues who may feel they are left to pick up the slack. This can lead to conflicts and a negative work environment.
Reduced Job Satisfaction: Ironically, the act of doing only the minimum can lead to decreased job satisfaction. Engaging more deeply with one's work often brings a sense of accomplishment and fulfilment.
Quiet Quitting Signs to Look For in Young Employees
Managers and employees need to be aware of the quiet quitting signs to look for in young employees to address potential issues early. Some common signs include:
Lack of Engagement: Employees who consistently avoid volunteering for extra tasks or show little interest in projects beyond their core responsibilities may be quietly quitting.
Decline in Performance: A noticeable dip in work quality or productivity might indicate disengagement.
Minimal Communication: When employees start to communicate less with colleagues or superiors and show less enthusiasm in meetings, it could be a sign of quiet quitting.
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By Kimberly Chang on 2023-11-27 at 7:11 AM