The undiscovered answer to quiet quitting

Coming off a coaching call with Jake* earlier in the week, I was left feeling a little perplexed. During the session, he openly admitted he’s planning on having a conversation with his Line Manager next week. He’s going to tell them he no longer intends to give 120% effort in his role and to the Company. He’s decided he’s scaling it back to 100%.

Wow. On the one hand, I admired his bravery, honesty and transparency for just coming out with it like that.

On the other hand, I couldn’t help but feel uneasy. Could he be making a foolish mistake and giving his manager cause to make assumptions about him and his level of commitment in the future?

It was tough to know what coaching path to take, but I knew in an instant I was dealing with a (not so) quiet quitter.

And whilst the reaction globally has been very interesting to watch; hearing so much talk on social media right now about quiet quitting, after the conversation Jake * and I had, I couldn’t help but share my perspective on the topic (especially as I’ve quietly quit quite a few jobs in the past too!)

And as always, when a new phenomenon, fad or buzzword appears, everyone jumps on the bandwagon; BUT I’m seeing very little out there that’s actually providing an answer to quiet quitting… or addressing whether it’s as bad as people say it is!

Firstly, I don’t believe “quiet quitting” is anything new, and it's possibly been around for ages now.

The term “quiet quitting” was popularised by the snappy, creative content creator, Zaiad Khan in his viral TikTok video back in July 2022. From my experience of having worked in HR for nearly 10 years, there’s always been a select minority in the workplace who have actively chosen not to give any more discretionary effort than they receive in return from their employers.

So, yes, quiet quitting is a thing. But, it doesn’t actually mean what it says on the tin.

What it really means is that what you do daily, is what your job role requires of you. Nothing more, nothing less. When it’s time to leave at the end of the day, you pack up, say goodbye to your colleagues, head out the door and don’t take “work” home with you.

You’ve quit that element or part of the ‘unspoken agreement’ that you’re going to go above and beyond for your Manager, your team or the business. But you stay in your role and you still have your job to return to everyday.

Sounds idyllic, right?!

Especially for someone who wakes up at night worrying about work, stresses over their workload (and every minute detail of it!) or that they’ve forgotten to do something really super important or even working late trying to try fit in all the day job after having attended so many meetings that day. (I’ve been there and got the t-shirt!)

But I don’t think that quiet quitting is necessarily a bad thing!

So long as you’re still performing and feeling motivated to deliver what’s expected of you. (You don’t always have to be a high achiever or shining star to still contribute value!)

Where my issue with quiet quitting comes in, is when it affects you personally. Your mental health and wellbeing. The apathy and languishing of a person’s body and mind is where the danger lies for me. Adam Grant, a US Organizational Psychologist and Wharton University’s top-rated Professor for 7 straight years; refers to languishing as “The neglected middle child of mental health”, so if languishing draws this comparison by Adam, then perhaps quiet quitting is the after math or outcome of this neglect? Read Adam’s full article in the NY Times here.

So, what can you do if you find that you are considering to quietly quit?

If you’re thinking that this quiet quitting lark sounds like a good idea, then I want you to think a little deeper beyond that initial thought. As I said, quiet quitting doesn’t always have to be for a negative reason, but certainly SOMETHING has made you decide that you’ve been giving too much in effort, time and commitment and you’ve been left feeling that it’s no longer worth doing.

And that’s an area you need to explore!

Knowledge is power. And self-awareness is the electric socket. Digging deep and assessing the real reasons for why you feel this way, will really help you determine what your next steps should be.

Ask yourself:

• Is it you? Have you experienced a difficult situation recently and taken a knock in confidence? If you have, then move that awareness forward and explore what can you do to help resolve this for yourself.
  
  
• Is it someone else? Have you experienced a situation where your Line Manager has potentially taken advantage of your trust. Or not shown enough appreciation. Perhaps it’s worth a brave conversation with them, to let them know how you’re feeling and where you stand.
  
  
• Or is it something else? Have you assessed your work/life balance and realised you’ve been giving too much to an area of your life that’s just not fulfilling you anymore. This can happen and as a long-term effect of Covid and all the other change we’ve encountered over the past two to three years, I can see how this would impact us as humans.

All these examples are valid. So the next time you feel this way, explore the “why” in more detail and description, to highlight if it’s positive change you are looking to make, or one based on a negative situation that’s triggered this reaction for you.

So, what IS the undiscovered answer to quiet quitting?

Well, having quietly quit roles, managers, company’s and careers in the past; for me it’s about fulfilment and knowing what truly motivates me, or more so to the point - what my motivators are… both in the workplace AND in my personal life.

As human beings our two worlds of personal and professional have to co-exist. Getting to the core of knowing what your motivators are, can really reignite a spark that you once had, but more importantly they can guide you in your next step forward.

So, if you are thinking of pulling back, and quietly quitting; now is the time to explore your deeper motivators and yourself.

Before deciding that you are becoming the next quiet quitter, at least try to understand what motivates you, especially in your job role, company or life and understand what is not working for you.

This is when you can decide to take action and steer the direction that you want your life to be in.

How can The Holistic People Collective help you get your motivational mojo back?

As a specialist in motivation and motivators, The Holistic People Collective offer an insightful tool called Motivational Maps.

Imagine how it would feel to have absolute clarity around what motivates you, so that:

• You can build a career you love and are energised by or,
• Take that leap and start that new business you’ve always wanted to or,
• Create boundaries that are important to you, so that you’re able to live your life in a sustainable and fulfilled way, and one that makes YOU truly happy!

Because you deserve more. More happiness. More freedom. More time doing what you love!

If this sounds like something you need, then head over to our website and book in a personalised call with Desiree today.

https://www.theholisticpeoplecollective.com/motivational-maps

P.S. For all you skimmers out there, here are the highlights of this blog…

• Quiet quitting isn’t a new concept.
• Quiet quitting isn’t always a bad thing!
• Understanding what really motivates you is vital when it comes to building a career you love.
• The Holistic People Collective can help you rediscover your mojo through an amazing tool called Motivational Maps. Click here for all the deets!

*name has been anonymised for privacy