Um, What’s Quiet Quitting?

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve now heard about quiet quitting. People (that aren’t Gen X) have figured out that killing themselves by overworking themselves isn’t cool. This sweet term started on TikTok (because, of course, it did) as people realized that they just don’t get paid enough to make work their life. Then they decided to post about it on social media.  

I think all of us (hi again from Gen X) are already tired, and the younger generations are just catching on. However, we’re handling it differently. So, as I sit here and drink my coffee at 3 am, let me show you how.

LinkedIn is in total meltdown and having full-sized tantrums, and so is the Wall Street Journal. I bet if we wander over to Fortune Magazine, yes, there it is. 

So, what’s the big deal with this new term?

It’s not a new concept (I’m coming in hot from Generation X since we have a bit of a reputation for being the forgotten slacker generation). Most of us figured out that life requires balance and that dying for a job isn’t exactly fun. Generation Z is starting to figure it out while being super vocal about it. Looking at the pandemic, they’ve figured out that life’s a bit short to live to work. All major media has picked up on this and lets the cat out of the bag. You can find articles from news sources here: The Guardian, NPR, Market Watch, and Fast Company, you get the point.  

Reading these news sources is like listening to my chief back in the Navy. It’s both eyeball roll-inducing and exasperated sigh levels of bad business.

QUOTE FROM WSJ 

“It’s not about the quiet quitters. It’s about everybody else and the unfairness that occurs there,” said Amy Mosher, chief people officer at human resources software company isolved. If quiet quitting leads to performance issues, she said, those workers should be let go to find jobs that truly engage them.

QUOTE FROM FAST COMPANY

One thing not to do is jump on the bandwagon of a four-day workweek, which some organizations seem to be hoping will serve as a one-size-fits-all Band-Aid to address every concern they have regarding employee engagement and morale. I love the intention and I understand the surface-level appeal of this idea, but I disagree with its utility. 

QUOTE FROM TIME MAGAZINE

Taylor, who, as a CEO himself leads a team of over 500 associates, advocates for his employees taking time off when they’re feeling overworked, but he doesn’t see how embracing quiet quitting will be helpful to employees in the long term. “I understand the concept, but the words are off-putting,” he says. “Anyone who tells their business leader they are a quiet quitter is likely not to have a job for very long.” 

How do I protect my small business from quiet quitting?

Here’s some perspective about quiet quitting, People don’t see a point to the hustle. Each of these articles that are pro-business is forgetting that people drive a business and a business relies on its people. They are your greatest asset. Let’s look at what to do as a small business owner. Here’s the super short list:

1. Anything in those articles places blame on your worker unless you want them to leave altogether. 
2. Listen to your employees.
3. Compensate them correctly.
4. Stop creating toxic work environments and expecting people to love them.

Ok, that’s it. You’re welcome. Now get back to work.