Quiet Quitting…
Is a popular buzzword phrase these days, one that could be construed as negative if not properly understood.
1A new Gallup survey claims to support the idea that employee disengagement really is on the rise, calling the quiet quitting trend a “crisis.” But whether it’s actually a problem is a matter of perspective. So, what do you think?
First let’s keep in mind that this is not a new term. While many relate it to the post-Pandemic mindset, the term took root a few years earlier. In a popular 1999 movie - Office Space the character Peter Gibbons decides to not work at a capacity in which he could and chose to do the bare minimum required of him, “quiet quitting” A famous line from the movie, “I just stare at my desk, but it looks like I’m working”
What is quiet quitting?
Like Mr. Gibbons portrays in the movie; one example of quiet quitting is for one who is doing enough to maintain their job but doing as little as possible without getting physically fired.
However, a bit more positive outlook on quiet quitting is this -
Quiet quitting refers to not overworking yourself or doing extra things that you won’t get compensated for; you’re not an underachiever but also not an overachiever.
Quiet quitting can look like this:
A minimum wage worker refusing to work unpaid overtime
A programmer refusing to get work done while on vacation with his family
Closing your laptop at exactly 5:00pm instead of continuing to work until 5:30, 6:00, 6:30….
So, you’re not actually quitting, packing your desk, saying goodbye, walking out the door kind of quitting if you quiet quit. You are, however, not overworking or over committing without proper compensation. Well, that doesn’t seem too bad you may say, I mean, why do more than you are compensated for? I agree, you need to know your own level of comfort in committing to something you may not necessarily reap the benefits from or finances to compensate for your time. For example, if you are trying to “climb the corporate ladder” you may need to go above and beyond your normal job duties or responsibilities. You may need to stand out as an overachiever to meet the personal goals which you set for yourself. Doing these things is your personal choice to succeed and not a bad work ethic to have. While you are certainly not going to quiet quit you need to be careful, or you may look at the quiet quitters with some sense of “righteous” anger. You see the quiet quitters as lazy slackers who are willfully underperforming!
Are “Quiet Quitters” bad employees?
Yes… well, no… well, maybe??? I guess it can be seen in both perspectives, for example, if you are meeting the tasks and job duties willingly and completely fulfilling your tasks then I would say you are “engaged” in your work but are setting reasonable boundaries in work/life. Post-covid life, more than ever before, produced the understanding of placing value on personal life over work. No, you are not a bad employee if this is how you “quiet quit.”
However, your quiet quitting attitude, if done for the wrong reason, can also lead to creating more work for others picking up the slack, a lack of engagement between you and your co-workers, and a feeling of dissatisfaction with your overall job performance. You certainly aren’t an all-star and may rightfully get overlooked for that next raise or promotion. If you’re not careful your quiet quitting can be looked upon as being a bad employee.
The primary objective of quiet quitting is not to disrupt the workplace, but rather to avoid occupational burnout and to pay more attention to one's mental health and personal well-being.2
But what’s important?
What does God say about work? The Bible is full of verses about working hard and not being lazy. When you choose to work hard and keep your head down, others will follow your lead.
Colossians 3:23 - Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as if working for the Lord, not for human masters. (quiet quitting?)
Galatians 6:4-5 - Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load. (not quiet quitting?)
Proverbs 12:24 - Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in forced labor. (not quiet quitting?)
Genesis 2:3 - Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. (quiet quitting?)
Proverbs 13:4 - The soul of a lazy man desires and has nothing; but the soul of the diligent shall be made rich. (not quiet quitting?)
Psalm 23:1-3 - The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restores my soul: he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. (quiet quitting?)
What’s your takeaway?
Whether you are a fan of quiet quitting or not, as you can see from the article, there are a number of things to consider.
A few things I am confident in… while God rewards hard work, he also commands rest. God appreciates the work of your hands but also “makes” you to lie down in green pastures beside still waters. God has created us to place value on work and on life. It is going to be up to you and I how we balance it.
So, with this in mind is quiet quitting so bad after all?
https://qz.com/is-quiet-quitting-actually-a-problem-1849507715
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quiet_quitting#cite_note-:0-4