The notion has been dismissed as a mischaracterization of boundary-setting at work.
In the last month, a new term has begun floating around professional spheres of social media: “quiet quitting.” Originally coined in a viral TikTok video, quiet quitting is an alleged trend wherein business employees, rather than actually quitting their jobs, only put in the required work rather than going above and beyond.
The notion of quiet quitting has drawn widespread criticism as vilification of healthy boundary-setting at work. Twitter users have argued that there is nothing wrong with only doing the work you are being paid for, and that going above and beyond for no additional compensation should not be an assumed thing.
In an interview with NPR, business owner Ed Zitron gave his two cents on the term. “If you want people to go ‘above and beyond,’ compensate them for it. Give them $200. Pay them for the extra work,” Zitron said in an email. “Show them the direct path from ‘I am going above and beyond’ to ‘I am being rewarded for doing so.'”
Smart headline from @NPR this morning:
What is 'quiet quitting,' and how it may be a misnomer for setting boundaries at workhttps://t.co/wmufqBl4J0
— Gregory Holman 📲📻 (@gregoryholman) August 19, 2022
“The term ‘quiet quitting’ is so offensive, because it suggests that people that do their work have somehow quit their job, framing workers as some sort of villain in an equation where they’re doing exactly what they were told,” Zitron continued, adding that it is reasonable and, in fact, normal for employees to push back against exploitative business practices.
“It’s part of an overwhelming trend of pro-boss propaganda, trying to frame workers that don’t do free work for their bosses as somehow stealing from the company,” Zitron said.
