Mike Corbett, Jarvis’ CEO, On Quiet Quitting

If there’s one workforce-related topic stealing the show on social (but also traditional) media in the past couple of months, it is quiet quitting. According to Investopedia, quiet quitting means, “doing the minimum requirements of one’s job and putting in no more time, effort, or enthusiasm than absolutely necessary.” In essence, people are giving up the highly-popular “hustle mode” and putting in only as much as their job description asks of them. In other words, they are giving only as much as it takes not to get fired.

Are people actually quiet quitting?

Even though quiet quitting is trending as a concept, opinions about it seem to vary significantly. While some see it as “the movement of the lazy” others say it plays more into the concept of work-life balance. Alternatively, some say quiet quitting is more about youth being increasingly aware of options available for earning an income.

At Jarvis, we asked our LinkedIn audience their opinions about quiet quitting. We found that one opinion seems to be more dominant than the rest: it is a result of bad management. Specifically, 69% of respondents said it results from bad management, 17% said it is a TikTok trend that is not so real, while 15% stated it might be the movement of the lazy.

To tap into this further, we asked the master of leadership, organization and management, but also workforce trends in general at Jarvis Consulting Group, our Co-founder and CEO, Mike Corbett, to help us understand what could really be lying underneath this trending topic.

Q: What do you think lies behind the “quiet quitting” movement?

Mike: At its core, the problem seems to be around engagement. With most folks still in some form of remote work, organizations are finding it difficult to establish that same sense of engagement with their employees. That engagement led to better discussions, deeper discussions, and closer bonds. Let’s face it, bonding over a virtual coffee is not like grabbing a bite over lunch with your colleagues and sharing stories and jokes.

Q: Is this a new thing/trend, or has it been around, but it wasn’t named this way?

Mike: Quiet quitting is something that has been going on for quite some time, we’re just witnessing it happen at a higher velocity – mainly due to advances in technology and recent market conditions.

Q: Why do you think “quiet quitting” has been trending for such a long time?

Mike: We’re seeing a trend of continuously attaching labels to actions (great resignation, great regret, quiet quitting, and quiet firing). We’re trying to understand human behaviour. Sometimes we have a habit of feeling better because a certain behaviour has a label.

Q: What is your number one advice to individuals on the edge of “quiet quitting” and employers who notice their workers have been doing so?

Mike: Speak up. Have a conversation with your employee/employer. Transparency is key to success. Don’t burn bridges – hiding how you feel can potentially sow discontent and animosity. It’s a small world, and it would be a better place if we could start by having open and honest conversations with each other.

Remote work has introduced challenges when it comes to workplace engagement. Additionally, the need to understand human behaviour may contribute to labelling behaviours that previously existed as “quiet quitting”. If you’re an employer noticing lower employee engagement, the best thing to do is have an open and honest conversation. Continue to seek greatness in your team and empower them to perform optimally.