Thanks to a recent TikTok trend, young professionals have sparked a new workplace practice to establish boundaries and prevent hustle culture. Dubbed “quiet quitting,” the phrase generally refers to coasting through your job. However, it’s apparent that the trend is driven by a handful of separate-but-similar motivators.
Quiet quitting doesn’t refer to an employee’s resignation. Rather, some say it entails putting in minimal effort at work rather than striving for more. Others, such as therapist Nedra Glover Tawwab, claim it’s a way to set boundaries with employers – such as asking for more pay to go along with additional responsibilities.
While quiet quitting may have different motivations, it can generally be defined as doing what’s expected, and nothing more. When asked whether quiet quitting qualifies as underachieving, employment mediator and workplace author and influencer Angela Reddock Wright sees it as a line drawn in the sand: “Some see it as underachieving, but many employees are perfectly fine with not speaking up much during company meetings and generally doing the minimum requirements of their role.”
However, naysayers see the quiet quitting trend as a catalyst for laziness and lacking performance – even if minimum job requirements are being met. According to Reddock-Wright, this may not be especially true, but quiet quitting isn’t exactly helpful either, “Easing workplace stress by passively quiet quitting won’t offer genuine job satisfaction – finding a better suited role and environment will.”
Now, with countrywide productivity on the decline and rumors of an economic downturn, employers are majorly concerned that this “quiet quitting” phase will affect productivity levels. Rather than worrying about this seemingly dangerous trend, employers should see it as an opportunity to revive morale. Reddock-Wright says, “Re-engaging employees, asking what truly drives their work, and giving them more control over work-life balance could be the answer to keeping on-the-fence employees on board during this critical time.”
As for employees, Reddock-Wright stresses that quiet quitters may need to seek out a better fit: “With a job that fulfills you, a manager that respects you, and a company that appreciates you, the quiet quitting mindset can be prevented.” Instead of putting in minimal effort at an unfulfilling workplace, Reddock-Wright suggests seeking out a position that naturally motivates you to do your best work.
To delve into this subject more, be sure to pick up a copy of Reddock-Wright’s latest book – The Workplace Transformed: 7 Crucial Lessons from the Global Pandemic – https://angelareddock-wright.com/book/.
You can also visit Reddock-Wright’s blog for more workplace insights like this.
Be sure to follow Reddock-Wright on Facebook and Instagram @iamangelareddockwright, LinkedIn at Linkedin.com/in/angelareddock, and tune in to her weekly radio show, KBLA Talk 1580’s Legal Lens with Angela Reddock-Wright each Saturday and Sunday at 11 am PST, or catch past episodes on Anchor.fm/Spotify. You can learn more about the radio show here – https://angelareddock-wright.com/radio-show/.
For media inquiries for Angela, please reach out to monty@kwsmdigital.com.
Experienced Employment Law Attorney, Mediator, Arbitrator, Investigator, Legal and Media Commentator
Twice-named a U.S. News Best Lawyer in America for employment and labor law, Angela Reddock-Wright is an employment and labor law attorney, mediator, arbitrator, and certified workplace and Title IX investigator (AWI-CH) in Los Angeles, CA. Known as the “Workplace Guru,” Angela is an influencer and leading authority on employment, workplace/HR, Title IX, hazing, and bullying issues. Furthermore, she’s been named a “Top 50 Woman Attorney” in California by Super Lawyers, a “Top California Employment Lawyer” by the Daily Journal and one of Los Angeles’ “Most Influential Minority and Women Attorneys” by the Los Angeles Business Journal.
Angela is a regular legal and media commentator and analyst and has appeared on such media outlets as Good Morning America, Entertainment Tonight, Law and Crime with Brian Ross, Court TV, CNN, NewsNation, ABC News, CBS News, Fox 11 News, KTLA-5, the Black News Channel, Fox Soul – The Black Report, NPR, KPCC, Airtalk-89.3, KJLH Front Page with Dominique DiPrima, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the LA Times, Forbes.com, Yahoo! Entertainment, People Magazine, Essence Magazine, the Los Angeles Sentinel, LA Focus, Daily Journal, Our Weekly and the Wave Newspapers.
Angela is a member of the panel of distinguished mediators and arbitrators with Judicate West, a California dispute resolution company. She also owns her own dispute resolution law firm, the Reddock Law Group of Los Angeles, specializing in the mediation, arbitration, and investigation of employment discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and other workplace claims, along with Title IX, sexual harassment, assault, and misconduct conduct cases, along with hazing and bullying cases in K-12 schools, colleges and universities, fraternities and sororities; fire, police and other public safety agencies and departments; and other private and public sector workplaces.
For more information regarding resources for employers, businesses, and employees during this time, connect with Angela on LinkedIn for new updates, or contact her here. You may also follow her on Instagram.
This communication is not legal advice. It is educational only. For legal advice, consult with an experienced employment law attorney in your state or city.