Glossary Terms

Glossary of Human Resources Management and Employee Benefit Terms

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Quiet Quitting

Quiet quitting doesn’t mean employees are quitting their jobs. It refers to doing only what the job demands—no extra effort, no going above and beyond.

While it can be a sign of better work-life balance, it also signals disengagement, dissatisfaction, or burnout.

HR professionals and leaders need to understand the reasons behind it and how to create an environment where employees feel motivated to contribute meaningfully.

What is quiet quitting?

Quite quitting doеsn't signify an еmployее quitting thеir job; instеad, it mеans thеy'vе chosеn to limit thеir tasks strictly to what's outlinеd in thеir job dеscription to avoid working longеr hours. Their goal is to do thе minimum rеquirеd to complеtе thеir job whilе sеtting clеar boundariеs to еnhancе thеir work-lifе balancе.

Thеsе еmployееs arе still fulfilling thеir job rеsponsibilitiеs but havе optеd not to fully еmbracе thе 'work is lifе' mеntality to advancе thеir carееr or stand out to thеir supеriors. Thеy stick to thеir job dеscription and, whеn thеy lеavе work, thеy focus on non-work-rеlatеd dutiеs and activitiеs.

What are examples of quiet quitting?

Here are some examples of behaviors that may indicate an employee is quietly disengaging or contemplating leaving the organization:

Reduced initiative: An employee who once took the lead on projects and initiatives may start to show a decline in taking on new responsibilities or volunteering for tasks.
Decreased participation: Participation in team meetings, brainstorming sessions, or other collaborative activities may diminish. The employee might become less vocal or contribute less during discussions.
Minimal social interaction: A change in social behavior, such as decreased interaction with colleagues or a withdrawal from social events, can be an indicator of disengagement.
Lack of enthusiasm: A noticeable decline in enthusiasm and passion for the job may be observed. The employee may become indifferent or appear less excited about their work.
Decreased productivity: A decline in work output and productivity without a clear explanation could be a sign of disengagement. Tasks may take longer to complete, and the quality of work may suffer.
Increased absenteeism: An employee who is quietly quitting may start taking more sick days or personal days, signaling a desire to disengage from the workplace.
Neglect of professional development: Employees disengaging from their roles may stop actively seeking opportunities for professional development, such as training programs or skill-building initiatives.
Limited interaction with supervisors: Avoidance of regular interactions with supervisors, such as skipping one-on-one meetings or providing minimal updates on work progress, may indicate a disconnection.
Erosion of punctuality: A previously punctual employee may start arriving late, taking extended breaks, or leaving early without a valid explanation.
Expression of frustration: Subtle expressions of frustration or dissatisfaction, even if not explicitly directed at the organization, can signal underlying issues.
Increased use of personal time: A quiet quitter might spend more time on personal activities during work hours, such as extended breaks, personal calls, or non-work-related internet browsing.‍
Loss of attention to detail: A decline in attention to detail and a lack of thoroughness in tasks may become apparent, suggesting a decrease in the employee's commitment to excellence.

What can businesses do about quiet quitting?

Addressing quiet quitting requires a proactive and strategic approach from businesses.

Here are some steps organizations can take to identify and address quiet quitting:

Encourage open communication: Foster a culture of open communication where employees feel comfortable expressing their concerns and providing feedback. Regularly seek input from employees through surveys, focus groups, or one-on-one meetings.
Implement employee feedback mechanisms: Establish formal channels for collecting feedback, such as regular employee surveys, suggestion boxes, or anonymous reporting systems. Act on the feedback received to address underlying issues.
Conduct stay interviews: Instead of waiting until an employee decides to leave, conduct stay interviews to understand their current satisfaction levels, concerns, and aspirations. Use the insights gained to make necessary adjustments.
Monitor employee engagement: Regularly measure and monitor employee engagement through surveys or other tools. Look for trends or shifts in engagement levels that may indicate potential issues.
Provide professional development opportunities: Offer ongoing training and development opportunities to keep employees engaged and invested in their professional growth. This can include workshops, mentorship programs, or access to online courses.
Recognize and reward contributions: Acknowledge and reward employees for their contributions. Recognition programs can boost morale and demonstrate that the organization values the efforts of its employees.
Promote work-life balance: Encourage a healthy work-life balance by implementing flexible work arrangements, promoting wellness programs, and discouraging excessive overtime. This can help prevent burnout and increase job satisfaction.

Why is quiet quitting happening?

Quiet quitting can occur for various reasons, and it's often the result of a combination of factors within the workplace environment and individual employee experiences.

Here are some common reasons why quiet quitting may happen:

Lack of recognition: Employees who feel their contributions go unnoticed or unappreciated may disengage quietly as a form of response to perceived undervaluation.
Limited career advancement: When employees perceive limited opportunities for career advancement or professional growth within the organization, they may become disengaged and start contemplating a change without explicitly expressing their concerns.
Poor leadership: Ineffective or unsupportive leadership can contribute to employee disengagement. A lack of clear communication, guidance, or support from supervisors may lead employees to quietly disengage.
Inadequate feedback: Employees may become disengaged if they receive insufficient or ineffective feedback on their performance. A lack of constructive feedback can make it challenging for employees to understand their impact on the organization.
Stagnant work environment: A work environment that lacks innovation, creativity, and challenging opportunities can contribute to employee disengagement. Employees may feel bored or unstimulated, leading to quiet quitting.
Poor work-life balance: Excessive workload, long working hours, and a lack of support for work-life balance can contribute to burnout and quiet quitting as employees seek relief from overwhelming demands.
Mismatched job roles: Employees who find themselves in roles that don't align with their skills, interests, or career goals may quietly disengage rather than confront the challenges of a role that doesn't suit them.

How to find out if quite quitting is occurring in the workplace?

Quiеt quitting is inhеrеntly subtlе and not еasily noticеablе. Thеrеforе, it can bе challеnging to providе concrеtе еvidеncе that it's occurring within your workplacе.

Nеvеrthеlеss, hеrе arе somе indicators you can watch out for that might assist you in idеntifying instancеs of quiеt quitting:

Employee engagement surveys: Frеquеntly conducting еmployее еngagеmеnt survеys can bе a usеful mеthod for idеntifying signs of widеsprеad disеngagеmеnt that may suggеst thе prеsеncе of quiеt quittеrs in your organization. It's important to notе, howеvеr, that еmployееs who arе not еngagеd at work arе lеss inclinеd to actively participatе in survеys, which might lеad to biasеd survеy rеsults.
Productivity metrics: Whеn еmployееs arе quiеtly quitting, it typically rеsults in a dеclinе in productivity. If you arе alrеady monitoring productivity mеtrics, you should havе a basеlinе for your organization's usual productivity lеvеls. This basеlinе can sеrvе as a rеfеrеncе point to dеtеct signs of quiеt quitting as it unfolds.
Company profits: In morе sеvеrе casеs, whеn a significant numbеr of еmployееs bеcomе disеngagеd, it can havе a dеtrimеntal impact on a company's profitability. If your organization еxpеriеncеs an unеxplainеd drop in profits, quiеt quitting is onе of sеvеral potеntial factors that should bе invеstigatеd.
Promotions and opportunitiеs: Employееs who quiеtly quit thеir commitmеnt to thе job arе oftеn ovеrlookеd for promotions and nеw opportunitiеs bеcausе thеy arе not pеrcеivеd as going thе еxtra milе. Monitoring who gеts promotеd and who doеsn't can hеlp you idеntify thosе еmployееs who may bе quiеtly quitting without you еvеn rеalizing it.‍
Intuition: Oftеn, еmployеrs havе an innatе sеnsе whеn еmployееs arе disеngaging and еngaging in quiеt quitting. If you sеnsе that any of your еmployееs don't sееm likе thеir usual sеlvеs, it's a good idеa to chеck in with thеm to undеrstand what might bе going on.

Is quiet quitting a real trend?

Quiet quitting refers to a situation where employees disengage from their work or workplace without overtly expressing their dissatisfaction or resigning. While it may not be labeled as an official trend, the concept aligns with broader discussions on employee disengagement and retention challenges within organizations.

Here are some factors and observations related to what is sometimes colloquially referred to as quiet quitting:

Lack of visible signs: Employees who are quietly quitting may not exhibit obvious signs of dissatisfaction or actively voice their concerns. This can make it challenging for employers to identify disengagement early on.
Disengagement and burnout: Quiet quitting is often associated with feelings of disengagement, burnout, or a sense of being undervalued. Employees may withdraw emotionally, leading to reduced productivity and enthusiasm for their work.
Remote work challenges: The rise of remote work, especially during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, has presented new challenges. Employees may feel isolated, making it easier for disengagement to go unnoticed in a virtual environment.
Job insecurity: Economic uncertainty and job insecurity can contribute to employees choosing to disengage rather than actively seeking new opportunities. They may adopt a "wait-and-see" approach rather than making immediate career changes.
Communication breakdown: In workplaces where communication channels are weak or ineffective, employees may be less likely to express their concerns openly. This lack of communication can contribute to a culture of quiet quitting.
Perceived lack of career development: Employees who feel their careers have stagnated or who see limited opportunities for advancement within the organization may disengage quietly rather than making formal job changes.
High turnover industry norms: In some industries with high turnover rates, employees might be more inclined to quietly disengage as it may be perceived as a norm within the industry.‍
Employer-employee trust issues: If employees perceive a lack of trust or transparency from their employers, they may be more likely to disengage quietly rather than engage in open dialogue about their concerns.

Employee pulse surveys:

These are short surveys that can be sent frequently to check what your employees think about an issue quickly. The survey comprises fewer questions (not more than 10) to get the information quickly. These can be administered at regular intervals (monthly/weekly/quarterly).

One-on-one meetings:

Having periodic, hour-long meetings for an informal chat with every team member is an excellent way to get a true sense of what’s happening with them. Since it is a safe and private conversation, it helps you get better details about an issue.

eNPS:

eNPS (employee Net Promoter score) is one of the simplest yet effective ways to assess your employee's opinion of your company. It includes one intriguing question that gauges loyalty. An example of eNPS questions include: How likely are you to recommend our company to others? Employees respond to the eNPS survey on a scale of 1-10, where 10 denotes they are ‘highly likely’ to recommend the company and 1 signifies they are ‘highly unlikely’ to recommend it.

Based on the responses, employees can be placed in three different categories:

Promoters
Employees who have responded positively or agreed.
Detractors
Employees who have reacted negatively or disagreed.
Passives
Employees who have stayed neutral with their responses.

Why is quiet quitting bad?

Quiet quitting can silently drain a team’s energy and productivity. It signals deeper cultural or leadership issues that may affect retention and morale.

Lowers team engagement and collaboration
Reduces innovation and proactive problem-solving
Affects customer experience and team output
Creates friction among those still fully engaged
Signals a weak feedback and recognition culture

What are the types of quiet quitting?

Quiet quitting can look different depending on the employee and their role. Understanding the types helps HR and managers respond better.

Passive quiet quitting: Doing the bare minimum without protest
Active quiet quitting: Quiet resistance to extra responsibilities
Emotional quiet quitting: Disconnection from team or goals
Burnout-driven quitting: Result of exhaustion and stress
Silent job searching: Staying only until another offer comes

What causes quiet quitting?

There’s no single cause—quiet quitting is often the outcome of several unresolved workplace frustrations or unmet needs.

Burnout due to overwork or poor boundaries
Lack of recognition or fair compensation
Poor management or lack of support
No clear path for growth or advancement
Disengagement from company mission or values

Why are employees quiet quitting?

Employees quiet quit when they feel disconnected from their job or employer. It’s often a protective response to feeling overwhelmed, unseen, or underappreciated.

They’re not rewarded or recognized for extra effort.
They’re unclear about what growth looks like.
They want better work-life balance.
They no longer feel aligned with their role or team.
They don’t trust leadership or workplace culture.

How to prevent quiet quitting?

Preventing quiet quitting requires fostering an environment where employees feel heard, supported, and motivated to contribute.

Set clear role expectations and fair workloads.
Offer regular feedback, recognition, and praise.
Create opportunities for meaningful work.
Ensure work-life balance and respect boundaries.
Build strong manager-employee relationships.
Provide training, growth, and career planning.

How to address quiet quitting?

If quiet quitting is already happening, the key is to understand the reasons and rebuild trust and engagement through direct, supportive action.

Have one-on-one conversations to understand concerns.
Re-evaluate workloads, stress levels, and expectations.
Reconnect employees with the purpose of their role.
Offer autonomy along with accountability.
Empower managers to spot and resolve disengagement early.

How to avoid quiet quitting?

Avoiding quiet quitting begins with a proactive culture where communication, empathy, and fairness drive engagement.

Build a culture of transparency and inclusion
Promote mental health and employee well-being
Recognize and reward consistent contributions
Keep career growth and learning paths visible
Make managers accessible and supportive

How to combat quiet quitting?

Combatting quiet quitting isn’t about pushing employees harder—it’s about listening, adjusting, and valuing their contributions.

Introduce regular employee check-ins and surveys
Train leaders to spot disengagement and act early
Reward effort beyond the minimum in a fair way
Clarify how employees’ work impacts the company
Use recognition programs that are timely and meaningful

How to quiet quit as a manager?

Some managers may choose to “quiet quit” as a form of boundary-setting or protest, but doing so risks damaging their teams. A better approach is setting healthy boundaries openly.

Focus on your core leadership responsibilities
Delegate without micromanaging
Protect your time while staying accountable
Model balance, not withdrawal
Speak up if leadership demands become unmanageable

Can you be fired for quiet quitting?

You can’t be fired just for doing your job, but if quiet quitting affects performance or violates expectations, employers may take action.

If responsibilities are unmet, it may count as underperformance.
Employers can set expectations around attitude and engagement.
Quiet quitting can lead to poor evaluations if sustained.

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