Quiet quitting happens when employees stay on the job but mentally check out. It’s more common than many managers realize and has serious impacts for businesses.
But what, exactly, does quiet quitting look like? And what should you do about it? We looked at the latest trends to find out. Keep reading for a primer on quiet quitting — what it is, why you should care and how to recognize and respond to the signs.
Key Takeaways
- Quiet quitting is prevalent among younger workers, with nearly 50% of Gen Z employees coasting at work
- Quite quitting is now giving way to “resenteeism,” a trend where employees feel trapped and resentful
- The signs of quiet quitting are difficult to spot and often require measurement and monitoring software
What is quiet quitting?
Quiet quitting refers to employees who mentally “check out” at work. They do the bare minimum to collect a page check, feel detached from the company’s mission and refuse to go the extra mile for their teams. Quiet quitters stay on the job instead of resigning but lack motivation and commitment.
The trend has been growing since 2020, and by 2023 Gallup estimated quiet quitters make up 50% of the workforce. Fueled by social media — starting with a TikTok video that went viral in 2022 — quiet quitters encourage one another to show up for work while refusing to put it above personal needs.
Examples of quiet quitting
Unlike actual quitting, which is obvious, quiet quitting is hard to spot. And it takes on different forms. For some employees, it means refusing to take on extra work and balking at new assignments. They stop speaking up at meetings, start calling in sick and avoid interacting with coworkers.
For others, quiet quitting is a method for reducing stress. This group remains committed to their teams but prioritizes work-life balance over long hours. They push back on deadlines and stick to strict 40-hour (or less) workweeks.
In extreme cases, quiet quitters may stop showing up altogether and become actively disengaged. But this is less common.
How common is quiet quitting?
Quiet quitting is more prevalent than many managers and business leaders realize. And according to the latest research, much of it is happening among a younger generation of workers. Nearly half of surveyed Gen Z employees are coasting at work, and 42% say they’re just working for a paycheck. They say their roles are uninspiring, they don't have meaningful assignments and they want more autonomy.
However, instead of finding new jobs quiet quitters stick around, either because they can’t find a better job or feel trapped. And now, in the era of mass layoffs, quiet quitting is giving way to resenteeism — a growing trend where employees feel trapped in their roles and experience high levels of dissatisfaction and resentment.
Why are employees quiet quitting?
Various factors contribute to quiet quitting. Common ones include:
- A hustle culture: Quiet quitters respond to work environments that value long hours over work-life balance by doing as little as possible without drawing attention.
- Lack of role alignment: When a job description doesn’t match actual role and responsibilities, many employees respond with quiet quitting.
- Not enough flexibility: When employers replace remote work arrangements with return-to-office mandates, many employees become resentful.
- Unfair pay: While studies tie higher wages to increased productivity, the opposite is true of noncompetitive pay.
- No upward growth: When employees don’t have opportunities to build new skills or take on new responsibilities, motivation goes down.
- Lack of recognition: Employees who don’t feel appreciated for their contributions are more likely to engage in quiet quitting.
In some instances, quiet quitting is a response to quiet firing. This happens when managers fail to provide the coaching and support employees need to thrive, which leads to feelings of resentment.
Signs of quiet quitting
Quiet quitters share many of the same habits as disengaged employees. The most telltale signs include:
- A lack of extra effort
- Cynicism and negativity
- Silence during team meetings
- Refusal to work overtime alongside teammates
- Withdrawal from social interactions
- Slow or delayed responses
The impact of quiet quitting on organizations
The consequences of quiet quitting extend beyond individual performance. Left unchecked, it has the power to alter overall work culture, diminish team collaboration and harm customer satisfaction. Organizations face decreased productivity, less innovation and higher turnover rates as a result.
Plus, failure to recognize the signs of quiet quitting often leads to a toxic work environment where employees gradually work their way through the five stages of disengagement — a move that significantly impacts the bottom line. According to Gallup, actively disengaged employees cost the world trillions of dollars in lost productivity.
What should businesses do about quiet quitting?
The best way to prevent or reverse quiet quitting is to monitor employee engagement and burnout. Watch for signs people are overworked, underutilized or disengaged from their roles. And remember: Quiet quitting is usually a silent act, which means you’ll need more than conversations and observations to identify it.
In addition, focus on creating a culture that prioritizes employee well-being. This means taking steps to support work-life balance, providing plenty of opportunities for professional development and going above and beyond to show appreciation for jobs well done.
Combat quiet quitting in your organization with ActivTrak
Quiet quitting is here to stay, and no organization is immune. It’s more important than ever to spot the signs and act fast — before your bottom line suffers.
This is where ActivTrak comes in. Thousands of organizations use ActivTrak’s employee engagement monitoring solutions to:
- Identify early signs of disengagement
- Ensure workloads are balanced fairly
- Understand where, when and how their people work best
Get a free demo of ActivTrak to see how easy it is to address quiet quitting at your organization today.
