The Quiet Quitting Phenomenon If employees don’t seem to be working as hard as they once did, it may not be your imagination. Here’s what’s happening, and some ways to rectify the situation with disengaged team members. by Paige McCallister “Quiet quitting” started as a TikTok video describing how one employee was finding work-life balance by changing how they approached their job without actually quitting. The now-viral video has generated numerous articles and news stories, many with different takes on what quiet quitting actually means. There are numerous theories as to what’s going on in a trend that one recent Gallup poll says defines at least half of the U.S. workforce, including a fair share within the promotional products industry. 1Employees are setting boundaries. The initial TikTok video defined “quiet quitting” as employees doing their jobs – nomore, no less. They are good employees who do their work satisfactorily and maybe even above satisfactory. They work their scheduled hours, complete their job duties, fulfill work demands, attend meetings, andmeet their goals and numbers. However, they do not domore than what is necessary tomeet those expectations. For them it’s about setting boundaries and not getting caught up in the unacceptable conditions some workplaces demand. 2This is the next phase of The Great Resignation. An estimated 48 million employees quit their jobs in 2021 due to various reasons: repercussions from the pandemic; wanting or Africa Studio / Shutterstock.com 20 | NOVEMBER 2022 | INNOVATE
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