Aug 26, 2022
While we adhere to strict editorial guidelines, partners on this page may provide us earnings.
First, there was the “great resignation.” But now there’s a new workplace trend that seems to be sweeping across the country: quiet quitting.
Quiet quitting isn’t necessarily about leaving your job altogether. Instead, it refers to simply doing the bare minimum. The term is going viral on social media — particularly on TikTok.
Advertisement
“I recently learned about this term called ‘quiet quitting’ where you’re not outright quitting your job but you’re quitting the idea of going above and beyond,” says TikTok user zaidleppelin in a recent TikTok video, which has amassed millions of views and over 483,000 likes.
Should you join the movement?
Don’t miss
- ‘Imagine you are laid off’: Suze Orman's tough-love tips to prepare for the recession ahead
- A TikToker paid off $17,000 in credit card debt by 'cash stuffing' — can it work for you?
- What do Ashton Kutcher and a Nobel Prize-winning economist have in common? An investing app that turns spare change into a diversified portfolio
Must Read
- Dave Ramsey warns nearly 50% of Americans are making 1 big Social Security mistake — here’s what it is and the simple steps to fix it ASAP
- Robert Kiyosaki begs investors not to miss this ‘explosion’ — says this 1 asset will surge 400% in a year
- Vanguard reveals what could be coming for U.S. stocks, and it’s raising alarm bells for retirees. Here’s why and how to protect yourself
Join 250,000+ readers and get Moneywise’s best stories and exclusive interviews first — clear insights curated and delivered weekly. Subscribe now.
The trend has already started
Quiet quitting is in stark contrast to the hustle culture — the “go-getter” mentality that promotes consistently overperforming and exceeding expectations.
Although quiet quitting is a relatively new term, a large number of workers are doing it already.
According to a ResumeBuilder.com survey of 1,000 working Americans in August, 21% of respondents say they only do the bare minimum. Another 5% say they do even less than what they are paid to do.
The trend of quiet quitting is also shown in the amount of time people put into their work. In the survey, one-third of respondents say they have reduced their weekly work hours by more than 50%.
Advocates say
Zaid Khan, the 24-year-old software developer and musician behind that popular TikTok video, explains why he’s no longer subscribing to the hustle culture mentality.
“Overworking only gets you so far in corporate America,” he says in an interview reported by Bloomberg. “And like a lot of us have experienced in the past few years, mental and physical health really takes a backseat to productivity in a lot of these structured corporate environments.”
In the ResumeBuilder survey, 83% of respondents who do the bare minimum say they are “definitely” or “somewhat burned out.”
Advertisement
Finding a balance between work and life is another big reason for the rise of quiet quitting.
“Some employees no longer feel connected to their work or workplace and have a much stronger desire to focus their attention on their families and personal lives,” says career strategist and coach Stacie Haller. “With this shift in priorities, you see less willingness to engage in ‘hustle culture.’”
Read More: Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan ‘works every single time’ to kill debt, get rich in America — and that ‘anyone’ can do it
Critics say
Of course, there are several obvious downsides to the trend.
While acknowledging that people unhappy with their current job situation probably don’t want to go above and beyond at work, Haller says that quiet quitting “isn’t productive.”
“It would be better for disenchanted employees to speak with their managers about how to improve their current situation or to work with a job search coach to start looking for a more exciting opportunity,” she suggests.
Investment mogul and Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary is another critic, and calls quiet quitting “a really bad idea.”
“People that go beyond to try to solve problems for the organization, their teams, their managers, their bosses, those are the ones that succeed in life,” he explains on CNBC. “People that shut down their laptop at 5, want that balance in life, want to go to the soccer game, 9 to 5 only, they don’t work for me.”
Only time will tell if the new trend of quiet quitting is here to stay or will fade away.
What to read next
- Sign up for our Moneywise investing newsletter to receive a steady flow of actionable ideas from Wall Street's top firms.
- Mitt Romney says a billionaire tax will trigger demand for these two physical assets — get in now before the super-rich swarm
- Too many Americans are still missing out on cheaper car insurance
You May Also Like
- Turning 50 with $0 saved for retirement? Most people don’t realize they’re actually just entering their prime earning decade. Here are 6 ways to catch up fast
- This 20-year-old lotto winner refused $1M in cash and chose $1,000/week for life. Now she’s getting slammed for it. Which option would you pick?
- Warren Buffett used these 8 repeatable money rules to turn $9,800 into a $150B fortune. Start using them today to get rich (and stay rich)
- Here are 5 easy ways to own multiple properties like Bezos and Beyoncé. You can start with $10 (and no, you don’t have to manage a single thing)
Jing is an investment reporter for MoneyWise. He is an avid advocate of investing for passive income. Despite the ups and downs he’s been through with the markets, Jing believes that you can generate a steadily increasing income stream by investing in high quality companies.
