Yahoo Lifestyle Quiet quitting vs loud quitting (and why you might want to avoid both)
We need to talk about 'quiet quitting' and 'loud quitting'. Of all the buzzy workplace trends doing the rounds, these two are making the most noise (see what we did there?) across the UK, rn.
But in all seriousness, let's chat. If you've not heard of these phenomena IRL yet, you will soon. Partially influenced by the US - and perhaps TikTok - workers seem to be quiet quitting in droves. Or in other words, employees are doing the absolute bare minimum in their jobs.
Sure, there's a bit more to it than that, but what's clear is quiet quitting is often incredibly disruptive. It's also pretty divisive. Should you give it a go, though?
Here's everything you need to know about quiet quitting, loud quitting and everything in between, whether you're an employee or a boss.
What is quiet quitting?
According to Emma O’Connor, Director and Head of HR Training at law firm, Boyes Turner, "quiet quitting" can refer to a number of workplace behaviours, many of which managers will already be familiar with.
"It could describe someone who just does the bare minimum in their job – this could be in the hours they put in or the tasks they do. It might be either refusing to return to the office or doing the minimum office days they can. It might also describe someone, post lockdown, who is re-evaluating their work/life balance and deciding they want more than the 9-5 grind."
In many cases, quiet quitting occurs when someone doesn't want their life to be defined by or dictated by their job (fair enough, right?) - but is it always a smart move?
Is quiet quitting bad?
Well, it's not something O’Connor recommends (although, to be clear, a healthy work-life balance is definitely encouraged). "There will be times, of course, when work may not seem fulfilling or what you thought it was going to be. We cannot always be at 12 on the 'motivation clock'," she explains. There may also be occasions when you work long hours, according to the pro.
However, "there will also be times, when we have other things going on in our lives and work may just have to take a back seat." Again, balance is key.
Do remember, if you're struggling at work, you shouldn't have to suffer in silence (or quiet quit simply to get through the day). If something is impacting your work, it's important to speak with your manager or HR, the expert says. "Be honest about your needs – for example, if you need to flex work," O'Connor advises.
Often, people may also lean toward quiet quitting if they feel their efforts are going unnoticed. "It is not good for a person to feel unappreciated or undervalued. Also, it might make someone think seriously about whether a job or career is right for them."
The good news, though, is there are other options available to you if you're considering quiet quitting...
What should I do if I'm considering quiet quitting?
According to O'Connor, it's worth asking yourself two questions:
Why are you disengaged?
What do you hope to achieve by quiet quitting?
"The answers may not be straightforward – there are so many reasons for quiet quitting. It’s important to consider where the disengagement stems from: is it you or your employer? Once you understand where your issues come from, you can start to take steps to address them," explains O'Connor.
What is loud quitting?
Okay, okay, so you might want to give quiet quitting a miss. But what about loud quitting?
Well, loud quitting takes things quite a bit further, according to O'Connor, as this trend relates to actually quitting your job.
"This is the growing trend on TikTok (dubbed 'Quit-Tok') in the US of individuals broadcasting their exit from a business," she explains. "Videos are being posted on accounts containing individual post-exit stories. We have even seen people posting or live streaming their actual dismissal and exit meetings."
In short, the message is: “If I am going to lose my job, I want everyone to know about it,” and it seems to circle back to the same issues that drive quiet quitting.
How to tackle quiet quitting
"The response of managers when they see someone disengaged is key," advises O'Connor, who says it's important for managers to ask questions.
"Conversations initiated by a manager about how someone is doing, how they feel at work, or if there anything a manager/employer could do is vital. It is really important to have 1:1s even if someone is working remotely or in a hybrid way," she explains.
Equally, then, these conversations also serve as helpful opportunities for employees wanting to express concerns.
"It is important to understand why someone feels disengaged. There’s no one size fits all," says O'Connor, sharing advice that both employees and managers would do well to listen to.
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