Ready to quiet quit your job? Here’s how to do it. Read on for the explanation and steps on how to do it.
Quiet quitting is described as doing the minimum required work by your position while still maintaining your job. It’s a new trend that stands against overburn at work or quietly protesting your employer’s and company’s decisions.
But how do you actually go about doing the quiet quit? We delve deeper into what it is, how it works, and how you can do it.
What Is Quiet Quitting Exactly?
Quiet quitting is a form of disengagement from work that has become more common in recent years due to the Great Resignation and tension between managers and employees over office mandates. It involves doing what is expected of an employee until their last day without making a big fuss or dramatic exit.
Quitting quietly aims to free up time and energy for other pursuits while refusing to give away unpaid labor. It can benefit the education system if more teachers do this. It allows them to focus on their teaching careers without feeling obligated to work extra hours beyond their contracts.
But quiet quitting is not about intentionally screwing over employers or getting away with anything; it’s simply a way for employees to ensure they are taking care of themselves first before devoting attention elsewhere.
The Signs of Quiet Quitting Work
This type of work behavior can be difficult for employers and coworkers to detect as the person may still appear to be working as usual. Still, subtle differences in behavior can indicate that they are no longer fully engaged.
Signs of quiet quitting work may include:
- Not attending meetings
- Arriving late or leaving early
- A reduced level of productivity
- A lack of contribution to team projects
- Not participating in the planning or other collaborative activities.
Additionally, an employee quietly looking for another job may also show signs of reduced enthusiasm and motivation.
Ultimately, all these signs point to an employee’s unhappiness in their position.
This Is What Quiet Quitting Looks Like
Quiet quitting often manifests as decreased productivity, apathy toward work, and withdrawal from the team.
It can be hard to detect since it happens slowly over time instead of suddenly, like when someone formally quits.
However, colleagues may start to notice that the employee is not pulling their weight in terms of workload, and they may complain about having to pick up the slack or feeling shut out by the individual who is quiet quitting.
How to Start Quiet Quitting
So you want to quiet quit your job after all. Here are the steps you can take:
Prioritize
Starting slow and prioritizing what must be done to keep your job is a strategy that encourages employees to take their time while managing tasks and ensure the most critical tasks are completed first. This means you should not rush into things or try to do too much at once.
Instead, start small and gradually decrease the amount of work you do each day or week until you reach a comfortable level.
Taking this approach can help prevent being seen as slacking as well as help ensure that all basic tasks are completed as required by your contract.
Additionally, it’s important to remember that ‘prioritizing’ does not mean neglecting other less essential duties – these should be addressed in due course but with less urgency than the “must-dos.”
You Don’t Have to Be Completely Disengaged
Quiet quitting is scaling back one’s commitment to their job without quitting. The term has taken on a negative connotation in some circles, suggesting that one is no longer engaged in their job.
However, this does not have to be the case. Quiet quitting can be done to meet the company’s expectations, such as giving 100% during contract hours but not taking work home or participating in after-hours activities like team meetings and happy hours.
For those who don’t want to move up within the company, quiet working may be an appealing option; it allows them to focus on outside work while still meeting their obligations at their current job position.
This arrangement also allows employees more freedom and flexibility when managing personal commitments and interests outside of work without fear of repercussions from superiors or coworkers.
For example, someone with a passion for painting may put extra effort into completing projects quickly to spend more time creating art while still getting paid for their hard work at their day job.
Avoid Burnout
Going above and beyond in the workplace can be admirable, but it often leads to burnout. Burnout is a state of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion due to long-term stress or pressure.
This is especially true for teachers who are expected to go above and beyond in their jobs. A 2021 Gallup poll found that only 34% of US workers were “engaged” in their work, suggesting that many employees feel overworked and exhausted.
Additionally, there has been a growing trend among teachers known as the “quiet-quitting movement,” which involves educators leaving the profession.
Quiet Firing
On the flip coin, quiet firing is a way for employers to eliminate employees without actually firing them. Instead of formally letting the employee go, they make the job challenging and uncomfortable so that the employee hopefully chooses to quit independently.
Examples of this can include no raises, limited time off, increased workload without pay, and micromanaging to discourage an employee from staying longer than necessary.
Employers often use quiet firing as a way around certain legalities that come with firing someone, such as potential lawsuits over discrimination or other employment law issues.
What Can You Get from Quiet Quitting?
Quiet quitting can benefit employees since it allows them to regain control of their job and transition out orderly.
Employees who choose this path are typically looking for ways to avoid burnout, stay motivated, and remain engaged with their work.
The main benefit of quiet quitting is that it allows you to set boundaries at work and say “no” to working unpaid overtime and going above and beyond your duties.
The Upside of Quiet Quitting
The upside to quiet quitting is that it allows employees to gain perspective on their life and work relationships without burning bridges.
It also encourages companies to evaluate their workplace culture and mandate success across all organizational levels. This can be achieved by providing clear objectives, sufficient budgets, and setting motivational goals for the employees.
Why Are Companies Worried About It?
Companies are worried about quiet quitting because it can cause a decrease in workplace productivity, job satisfaction, and morale.
This can have severe consequences for the company and the employee’s career in the future. When productivity levels drop due to people quietly quitting, businesses may suffer financially and lose customers’ trust if they cannot deliver goods or services on time.
Job dissatisfaction is already at an all-time high, which could add to it, leading employees to feel less motivated and productive, eventually affecting the business’s bottom line.
Quiet quitting can also lead to tension between executives and employees and conflict between coworkers who want different things out of their jobs.
It might feel good in the short term. Still, companies worry that it could be harmful if not managed correctly with proper communication channels open so that team members understand each other’s goals and ambitions more clearly.
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