Quiet quitting means when employees do only what their job requires, nothing more, nothing less. They stop volunteering for extra work or initiatives but continue to meet their basic duties. In this glossary, you’ll learn what quiet quitting means, why it happens, its signs, examples, and HR strategies to prevent quiet quitting at the workplace.
Quiet quitting refers to when employees mentally disengage from their work without officially resigning. They complete their tasks but avoid taking on anything beyond what’s required in their job description. It’s about setting boundaries, often as a reaction to burnout, stress, or feeling undervalued.
Quiet quitting became popular during the pandemic, as employees began re-evaluating their priorities. Social media platforms like TikTok brought the term into the spotlight, with workers sharing stories about burnout and lack of appreciation. It’s now a global conversation about work-life balance, employee motivation, and mental well-being.
Read: Quiet Burnout: How to prevent this growing health hazard?
Quiet quitting has encouraged leaders to focus on employee engagement, mental health, and creating healthier work boundaries. Many companies are now investing in recognition programs, flexible work policies, and growth opportunities to rebuild trust and motivation among employees.
Quiet quitting isn’t necessarily good or bad, it’s a reflection of how employees feel about their work and workplace culture.
From an employee’s perspective, it can be a healthy response to burnout or unrealistic expectations. Setting boundaries helps them maintain work-life balance, avoid stress, and protect mental health.
However, from an employer’s perspective, quiet quitting shows disengagement. When employees stop going beyond the bare minimum, productivity drops, and team morale can take a hit.
In reality, quiet quitting is less about laziness and more about disconnection. It’s a wake-up call for organizations to focus on meaningful engagement, recognition, and communication.
Quiet burnout is a form of occupational burnout where employees suppress or ignore symptoms of chronic workplace stress.
Quiet cracking is another term for quiet burnout. It refers to employees “cracking” under prolonged stress silently, without outwardly showing the symptoms, often continuing to push themselves despite exhaustion.
Quiet quitting means doing only what a job requires without taking on additional tasks, often due to burnout or lack of motivation.
It usually happens when employees feel undervalued, overworked, or disconnected from their workplace culture.
HR can prevent it by recognizing achievements, improving work-life balance, offering fair pay, and maintaining open communication.
No. In quiet quitting, employees stay in their roles but mentally disengage, while resignation involves officially leaving the organization.
Employees not volunteering for new projects, avoiding optional meetings, or showing low enthusiasm for extra work are common examples.
Gen Z cares more about work-life balance and mental health than constant hustle. They tend to “quiet quit” when they feel unappreciated, overworked, or disconnected from their job’s purpose.
Look for signs like doing only the basics, showing less interest, or not taking new initiatives. It usually happens because of burnout or low motivation not laziness.
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