Quiet quitting rose to popularity — online and on the clock — in summer 2022, as workers refused to go above and beyond their pay grade. The movement has continued well into 2023, as engagement continues to dip and new corporate quips surface on TikTok.
Here are five recent Becker's reports that sum up the year's quiet quitting movement.
1. A mantra among quiet quitters: "Act your wage." The hashtag has racked up millions of views across social media platforms as workers refuse to take extra hours or assume responsibilities outside their job descriptions.
2. Companies lean into 'quiet cutting': Workplaces are joining in on workers' "quiet" game. Quiet cutting describes companies' large-scale employee reassignments in order to avoid mass layoffs. Sometimes, quiet cuts are a subtle push out the door — a trend dubbed "quiet firing" in March.
3. 'Lazy girl jobs' go beyond Gen Z: Some jobs are easier to quiet quit than others, according to Gabrielle Judge, a 26-year-old TikToker. She sparked a movement toward "lazy girl jobs" — remote positions that require minimal effort but provide a good salary — as a means of achieving work-life balance while still paying the bills.
4. What is 'loud quitting'? Healthcare labor action may be 1 example: Loud quitting is defined by Gallup as active disengagement, while quiet quitting is more passive. The former is meant to be seen by employers as a way of enacting change. An increase in worker strikes — including surges at hospitals and health systems — illustrates the growing prevalence of loud quitting.
5. 60% of employees worldwide are 'quiet quitting'': A recent Gallup poll found that most workers are disengaged on the job; 6 in 10 quiet quit, while 1 in 5 loud quit. The lost productivity could cost the global economy $8.8 trillion in lost productivity, the firm estimates.