Quiet quitting: TikTok trend or HR nightmare?
Quiet quitting is when an employee deliberately stops going above and beyond at work, doing only what their role strictly requires. The term took off on TikTok in 2022, as workers reassessed hustle culture in the wake of the pandemic—but the disengagement it describes is a lasting workplace challenge, not a passing trend.
Quiet quitting is hard to detect until real performance issues or absenteeism appear, and it strains relationships between employees, managers, and executives. This guide covers the tell-tale signs of quiet quitting and the strategies companies can use to address it.
What is quiet quitting?
Quiet quitting (also known as soft quitting) occurs when an covertly decides to no longer fully engage in their work. They focus on doing the bare minimum to get by, often flying under the radar.
When employees participate less in their roles, the team’s overall productivity, morale, and level of support all take a hit.
With quiet quitting, people are less interested in equating their value with their professional output. It’s a detachment from the hustle of high-performing, demanding corporate jobs. While stepping back from hustle culture can benefit mental health, it can also erode and community.
Quiet quitting isn’t an employee-only problem
It’s tempting to assume quiet quitting is an employee-sourced issue within an organization. In reality, it usually signals a deeper, higher-level problem within your teams and workplace.
Employees who feel unsupported, overworked, and underappreciated are more likely to covertly disengage from their jobs. That changes the course of their future within the company and drags down your team’s productivity—and your bottom line.
That’s why companies need to identify and resolve quiet quitting behaviors early.
Examples of quiet quitting in the workplace
To tackle quiet quitting behavior within your team, you first need to be able to identify it. One of the biggest tells is a dramatic shift in an at work.
When this occurs, you may notice one or more of the following changes:
- Not volunteering to take roles in group projects
- Taking longer than usual to complete their work but still meeting the deadline
- Not engaging or providing feedback during meetings unless directly asked
- Intentionally avoiding or skipping workplace social activities
- Actively turning down developmental work assignments
- Taking longer than usual to reply to emails or instant messages
- A higher-than-normal number of sick or absent days
- General lack of enthusiasm
How to identify quiet quitting within your company
If you’re concerned about possible quiet quitting within your organization, there are a few ways to identify troublesome behaviors sooner rather than later:
Anonymous employee surveys & stay interviews
Asking for about work expectations, general engagement and enjoyment, and is a great way to check in with your team.
For accurate results, anonymity matters: people give honest opinions when answers can’t be traced back to them.
Once you’ve collected the , analyze it and discuss the results with upper management and the wider team. The company can use the results as a jumping-off point for culture improvements, and the team can share their opinions on what to fix.
Stay interviews involve one-on-one meetings with highly valued employees to learn more about their working experience. The manager works through a series of questions to learn what motivates employees and keeps them engaged. They can also cover what the employee doesn’t like about their role, providing a valuable feedback opportunity.
These interviews are intentionally positive and supportive, aiming to boost retention.
Note: employee surveys are most impactful when your company asks for feedback regularly. We recommend quarterly or half-yearly anonymous and sentiment surveys, which let you track trends more accurately.
Tracking productivity KPIs
You can check baseline productivity metrics to see the impact of quiet quitting behaviors.
Identifying changes is significantly easier if your company already tracks these metrics. If not, now is a good time to set up internal productivity monitoring so you can collect data and understand your baseline.
Internal interest in upcoming projects and promotions
A drop in your team’s motivation or interest in future-oriented opportunities within the company is likely a sign that employees are disengaged and need additional support.
Looking into who is and isn’t applying for promotion opportunities is another way to identify people struggling with burnout and dissatisfaction.
Monitoring workplace culture
In many cases, you can physically feel a shift in workplace culture when people disengage from their roles.
Maybe you’ve noticed higher absenteeism, less participation in workplace events, and general discontent within your team. That means it’s time to act on quiet quitting behaviors before they become more severe.
Four ways your company can combat quiet quitting
Combatting quiet quitting within your organization begins and ends with improving your workplace culture practices. Employees who feel respected, valued, and appreciated are significantly less likely to disengage than those who feel unfairly treated.
These initiatives can better support employees and address quiet quitting behaviors:
Improve manager leadership skills
Compassionate, empathetic leaders are essential for improving their teams’ morale and motivation. Supporting and encouraging continual training keeps all employees engaged—and that includes management.
Investing in managerial courses, conferences, and training sessions makes a powerful impact on the day-to-day work experience of every employee.
If in doubt, schedule your manager or leader to complete a 360-degree assessment. This provides insight into how they interact with colleagues, managers, and direct reports.
Invest in workplace culture
The workplace is more than a set of cubicles for getting work done. Investing in workplace culture practices shows your team you appreciate their efforts and input.
You can show employees you value them through incentive programs and regular team-building activities. A happy team is an engaged and productive one—that’s a major reason well-loved companies across all industries are known for their workplace culture programs.
If in doubt, ask your employees to tell you about the culture. You’ll gain real insights and pinpoint any issues.
Encourage practices
Burnout and stress are huge contributors to quiet quitting. Encouraging your team to take time off helps foster a more inclusive and productive workplace culture.
Part of that may mean taking work off someone’s plate if they struggle to take time off. No one wants to return to an even bigger task list after a relaxing week away—and employees often avoid taking leave for exactly that reason.
A great antidote is cross-training employees so no single person carries the burden alone. Employees on leave can enjoy their break knowing their work is covered.
Regularly checking in with employees about their stress and workload can also draw valuable insights into your company’s productivity and processes.
Support and appreciate your team
A team that feels appreciated, respected, and valued is more likely to be productive and engaged.
Avoid the resentment and frustration caused by missed recognition opportunities by committing to regular employee appreciation practices. Recognizing your team and high-achievers with monetary, social, or fun rewards shows your support, creates a more enjoyable work environment, and boosts morale.
Tackling quiet quitting by improving your workplace culture
If quiet quitting is showing up in your company, look inward first. Address workplace culture issues and find ways to help employees stay engaged and fulfilled at work.
Left unchecked, quiet quitting can seriously impact your product and service quality, team productivity, and overall bottom line. Investing in better workplace culture practices—stronger leadership, real work-life balance, and regular recognition—is worth the effort.
Should you be using a customer intelligence platform?
Do you want to discover previous employee research faster?
Do you share your employee research findings with others?
Do you do employee research?