This trend – also known as silent quitting or slow it down movement – may have started in Chin, likely from the now censored hashtag ‘#tangping’, meaning "lie flat", that had been used originally to protest long hours.

'Quiet Quitting' began trending after American TikToker @zkchillin posted a video where he shared how, "work is not your life". @zkchillin posted about giving up on being an over-achiever and not allowing one's work to define them.

@zkchillin added: "You're not outright quitting your job, but you're quitting the idea of going above and beyond.

"You're still performing your duties, but you're no longer subscribing to the hustle culture mentality that work has to be your life. The reality is, it's not. And your worth as a person is not defined by your labour."

What is Quiet Quitting?

Quiet quitting is when employees simply do their job as per the description, nothing more or less than what they're paid to do.

The TikTok post from @zkchillin gained traction along with the ‘slow-it-down movement’, which is the rejection of the fast-paced mentality that is pervasive among new and trendy generations. On TikTok, the hashtag #QuietQuitting gained over 17 million views. Twitter, LinkedIn, and other social media sites already picked up on the term in press articles worldwide.

In Southeast Asia, the trend already caught on as workforce demands now focus on better work-life balance; greater growth opportunities and remuneration; and improved mental health awareness.

According to the 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer, about 60% of adults in Gen Z post content they hope will change the world on social media.

From the 36,000 people that Edelman surveyed, those 18-26 are most concerned about security, health, finances, social connections, and keeping up with changes.

No doubt, quiet quitting is on the rise and has now become more than just a social media hashtag.

What does Quiet Quitting Mean?

This trend revolves around one point – the employee is doing the job, but nothing more than what is outlined in the job description. 

@zkchillin mentioned in the comments section of the original post how quiet quitting "works best if you can tolerate your job. If you're miserable, get outta there! Your peace of mind comes first."

Like the Great Resignation, Quiet Quitting has the same underlying factors as actual resignations. The quiet quitter continues to do their primary duties, but they are less willing to participate in activities considered as citizenship behaviours – staying late, showing up early, or attending meetings that are not mandatory.

Why is Quiet Quitting Occurring?

Quiet Quitting or, as silent quitting as some quarters call it, is not a new trend. Even so, it had a birthday and is now fuelled via social media. Employee disengagement and ineffective workplace behaviours are all evidence of quiet quitting. 

Is it truly powering a workforce shake-up over the last 12 months and beyond?

There is a perception that Quiet Quitting is a way to counter burnout in the workplace – however, there is no formal research to support this claim. In Asia’s case, it is likely due to how it enforces the already embedded overworking culture that is prevalent within its workforce.

4 reasons employees Quiet Quit their jobs:  

1. Work-life balance: The pandemic enabled the workforce to realise that there is more to life than work. In fact, quitting quietly allowed them to set boundaries and separate their personal and professional lives.
2. Burnout or dissatisfaction at work: Employees who feel taken advantage of or overworked often disengage from their jobs.
3. Poor management: Quiet Quitting is also a response to poor management and support.
4. Provide a positive employee experience: Employees are often less engaged due to a lack of support and feel disconnected, creating a poor employee experience. A positive employee experience is an advantage for engagement and retention.

How is Quiet Quitting Affecting Businesses?

Having employees who perform at the bare minimum has serious implications for a company's growth, profitability, brand, and reputation. The Gallup State of the Global Workplace study reported how these disengaged employees cost the economy $7.8 trillion.

These are the five signs to watch out for to reduce Quiet Quitting:

1. Employee disengagement reduces productivity: Organisations with low levels of employee engagement have 33% lower operating income than those with highly engaged employees.
2. Frequent absences: Engaged employees take fewer unplanned leaves than non-engaged employees. Businesses need to monitor unplanned absences as they could be due to disengagement and Quiet Quitting.
3. A decline in work quality: Missing deadlines and making errors repeatedly are obvious signs of disengagement. Managers need to approach the employee to determine the cause when these symptoms become persistent.
4. Poor customer service: Employees that are disengaged are less likely to provide good customer service as their job feels like a means to an end and are likely to treat customers the same way. An increase in customer complaints results in negative impacts for both company brand and reputation.
5. Turnover: According to a Harvard Business Review study, lack of recognition is the leading cause of employee turnover. About 65% of employees feel unrecognised at work and those who have already quit are likely to seek out greener pastures later.

What Can You Do to Prevent Quiet Quitting?

A recent survey that Gallup conducted had found managers accounting for at least 70% of the variance in employee engagement. Investing in the leadership skills of managers and giving employees greater choice in how, when, and where they work, organisations can address the issue of quiet quitting.

Simple strategies that can help boost employee engagement:

• Increase autonomy in the workforce: Our Autonomy of the People report shows command-and-control behaviour has shifted by almost 70% in favour of autonomy-enabling behaviour.
• Compensate properly: In addition to keeping pay competitive with market rates, it’s important to boost compensation in response to exceptional performance.
• Encourage employee well-being: Your employees will feel less compelled to pull back professionally when you prioritise their mental, physical, and emotional health. Your commitment to employee well-being and backing up these promises will help your employees be fully themselves and tap into their full potential.
• Make flexible work arrangements a priority: A flexible work arrangement allows employees to have options such as remote or hybrid arrangements or even a 4-day week. Notably, this is now a growing trend in Singapore.
• Establish rapport and relationships: Employees quit quietly because of a disconnect between employers and employees. Building rapport and relationships with employees is a good way to bridge this gap.
• Build a culture of feedback and recognition: When you build a culture of feedback and employee recognition, your employees will feel valued and heard and be less likely to seek that validation elsewhere.

What Can Be Done to Address Quiet Quitting?

Given all the factors that power this trend, certain aspects have validity. This is more apparent in a workforce that already experienced remote working and successfully delivered work deliverables promptly. Setting clear boundaries between home and work life is essential in preventing burnout, especially for remote and hybrid workers. The disinterest in advancement, learning, and growth in a career does a disservice to companies. When you see an employee pulling away or being disengaged, it is important to find out the real issue - it could be their personal life requires them to have a break from work to reset. 

If you think you have Quiet Quitters, there are steps you can take:

• Listen: Identify the underlying issues and analyse why there is disengagement by taking time to understand what is happening. Pulse surveys are an effective way to understand what your employees are thinking.
• Communicate: Employees at purpose-driven companies are more satisfied with their jobs and tend to remain with the company for longer periods. It’s advisable to align employees around values, long-term vision, and tie every win, strategy, and project back to the vision and purpose.
• Be empathetic: The last few years have been hard on us. Take the time to understand the underlying factors and determine the cause of quiet quitting and gently remind the employee that learning, growing, and developing in their career can only benefit them overall.
• Offer autonomy: Our research paper Powering Profits and Prosperity, highlights that money is not everything for employees, and managers and employees share the desire for autonomy. Respondents from organisations using autonomous models are more engaged (45%) and more willing to go above and beyond (37%) compared to those in command-and-control organisations – 31% and 30%, respectively.

How to Know if Employees are Quiet Quitting?

Several factors contribute to employees not reaching their potential and leaving. Disgruntled employees may act passive-aggressively and withdraw when overlooked for promotions or raises. Those quitting a job quietly often has similar profiles. 

Here are six areas of concerns that help identify if your employee is quiet quitting:

1. The employee shows an extended period of disengagement
2. They meet the minimum standards of performance
3. The employee stops interacting with other team members
4. They stop participating in non-essential conversations, activities, or tasks
5. The employee attends the meetings but does not participate or act
6. There is a sudden increase in workload as team members pick up the slack

Employees in Singapore, infamous for being overworked, may already be exploring Quiet Quitting to gain more time to focus on their personal lives due to the ongoing stress that the COVID-19 pandemic and recent power shifts between employers and employees brought about.

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