Quiet Quitting? A lot has been written lately about a trend they are calling ‘quiet quitting’. The theory is that employees are just doing the bare minimum for their jobs, and therefore essentially quitting without putting in notice. I disagree.
If the last few years have taught us anything, it is to prioritize what matters, to declutter our lives, and to prioritize our holistic well-being. Tomorrow is not guaranteed, so assure that you are fueling what matters to you, and how (and where) you want to invest your time and energy.
The hustle culture of working without boundaries, pouring everything you have into your job, to the detriment of relationships and self-care, is waning. Maybe we should call the current trend ‘right-sizing’.
I don’t believe employees are quiet quitting. Instead, I think they are viewing their careers as one element that needs fuel, and prioritizing the other parts of their lives as well. Meet the job requirements, deliver what is expected of my role and for the compensation I receive. Find contentment in where I am rather than driving for the next rung on the proverbial ladder.
Years ago, I wrote about good enough – doing what was necessary to be kick a$$ at a job instead of always striving for the next promotion. Going deep instead of going up the career ladder. At the time, it was in relation to working parents and fulfilling their vision of what type of parent they want to be and how work supports that vision. I believe it is a valuable conversation to have with your manager: what fulfills you, what is your vision of success, how does work fit into your full life. This benefits leadership so they don’t promote you into a role that you don’t want (more travel, more leadership, more responsibility) and encourages employees to be great in the job they hold. Not everyone is looking to do more or grow. Work can take its rightful place in a pie chart that also prioritizes family, friends, hobbies and self-care.
Every day I am reading about people literally working themselves to death. If employees want to work hard on the work worth doing, then maybe we shouldn’t be calling them quitters, but instead, support them where they are, to achieve their version of success. If we don’t, the conversation will shift to loud quitting.