Whose Fault is Quiet Quitting?

Photo by Kristina Flour on Unsplash

Quietly quitting isn’t a work ethic problem; it’s employee defeat in a YOLO Economy.

It’s the breaking point when employees feel so disengaged that they can’t summon the energy to perform at high levels, and even if they did, it wouldn’t pay off.

But it’s not a solution; it’s denial about work/life balance. If your boss is unreasonable, your culture is toxic, or you are doing your work and covering for those who have already left, it might feel validating or temporarily save your sanity to quit quietly. But it’s only postponing the bigger problem.

If you hate your job and don’t do anything about it, you will have to face facts at some point. A rich life outside of the office can compensate for a lot, but a job is an enormous commitment.

You can reject the idea that there is one best way to work, but you are still ultimately responsible for your career.

And I say it with love because many people out there hate their jobs and feel stuck. Many actively search for jobs only to uncover two-page job descriptions with entry-level salaries or have management teams that care more about office time than anything else.

It’s a recipe for disaster, and businesses bear the responsibility to adapt. Kudos to change, but passive aggressiveness is not a long-term answer.