On TikTok, a trend emphasising working as little as possible has been picking up steam.
The topic of hustle culture has dominated discussions in the workplace for many years. Burnout is only a side effect of the daily grind, whereas high productivity and making the most of every minute have been held up as the standards for job success.
The “quiet quitting” movement, popular on social media, has been increasing in response to the terrible work-life balance and long working hours linked frequently with the hustle-culture mindset.
Recent TikTok tweets about employees “quiet quitting” or “ghost quitting,” when they leave their jobs after accomplishing the minimum work necessary to finish them, have gone viral on social media.
The user @zkchillin commented, “You’re not abandoning your work, but you’re renouncing the idea of going above and beyond. “While you continue to carry out your responsibilities, you no longer adhere to the hustle culture and mentality that dictates that work must be your life. It’s not true, and your level of productivity does not determine your value as a person.
Probably Comes from China
The idea of “quiet quitting,” or psychologically leaving one’s job, is thought to have originated with #TangPing. This now-censored Chinese hashtag initially opposed the nation’s stressful work culture and meant “laying flat.”
Lying flat is a “smart movement,” according to a user’s post that has since been removed from the Chinese discussion platform Tieba. According to the user, “Humans can only become the measure of all things by lying down,” the BBC reported last year. It immediately became a “buzzword” after being used on Sina Weibo, another well-known website.
The BBC continued, “in an apparent effort by censors to keep people from realising the scope of the new trend,” searches for the hashtag #TangPing have since been prohibited on Sina Weibo.
Connection To Job Satisfaction
According to experts, the “quiet quitting” trend may be related to a lack of job satisfaction, according to experts. Only 9% of UK workers are motivated by their jobs and workplaces, compared to 16% in Germany and 33% in Romania, according to the State of the Global Workplace study recently released by global research organisation Gallup.
The movement is in response to the country’s rumours of “great resignation” that the pandemic claimed to have been prompted. As a result of adapting to new work practices during lockdowns, people started reassessing their career paths.
According to PWC’s Global Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey, which was conducted in March, more than one in five employees worldwide intend to leave their positions in 2022.
The report stated that if the “great resignation” had taught employers anything, it was to not take their employees for granted. However, many businesses run the danger of doing just that by neglecting to help employees who are looking for personal fulfilment and purpose at work or by failing to pay close enough attention to competent individuals who are at a high risk of quitting.
Specialists Issue Warnings
Career experts have advised employees who are considering “quiet quitting” to exercise caution to avoid coming out as “slacking off,” especially if they had previously “over-extended” themselves.
According to Melbourne-based author and career development specialist Sue Ellson, if your employer notices your behaviour change, “communication is key.”
The connection between an employer and employee must be based on respect, compassion, and dedication. “The ‘rule’ of silent quitting implies that you nonetheless complete the task at hand. Keep in mind the value exchange at all times.
Career experts advise irate employees to take “proactive” steps rather than coasting along and jeopardising their job security in light of concerns that the UK is headed for a recession.
