{"id":70248,"date":"2022-10-13T10:34:30","date_gmt":"2022-10-13T08:34:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/?p=70248"},"modified":"2026-07-09T16:27:52","modified_gmt":"2026-07-09T14:27:52","slug":"quiet-quitting-how-to-curb-the-trend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/quiet-quitting-how-to-curb-the-trend\/","title":{"rendered":"Quiet quitting: How HR and business leaders can turn it around"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPeople & Leadership<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tQuiet quitting: How HR and business leaders can turn it around\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\tZia Taylor<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Despite what it sounds like, quiet quitting is not silently packing your bags and leaving without telling anyone. It’s about employees who feel that they aren’t being compensated (not only financially) and no longer going above and beyond in their jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They disengage (a word you’ll see often) due to a lack of meaning in their jobs and, as a result, expend minimal effort on their daily tasks. Also dubbed ‘acting your wage’, this trend is most prevalent in the Millennial and Gen Z workforce, who list a good work-life balance as one of the major factors they consider when choosing an organisation to work for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Knowing what it is that your employees are looking for in terms of meaning and compensation\u2014both financially and in their personal lives\u2014means that you’ll be able to employ the right strategies to combat the quiet quitting trend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why employees quietly quit<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Numerous reasons have been cited for quiet quitting, not least of which is a lack of work-life balance. With today’s unprecedented levels of burnout, quiet quitting has become about self-preservation. Studies have shown that having work-life balance is key to mental wellness, yet few employees feel they have it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The importance of sustaining a healthy work-life balance isn’t news to anyone, but COVID-19 caused many people to reflect on what they want from their jobs and employers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pandemic saw many people go above and beyond the call of duty for fear of retrenchment during the rapid downscaling of businesses. This ‘hustle culture’ resulted in burnout for many, which in turn spurned the quiet quitting trend. Amidst the Great Resignation<\/a>, employees are acutely aware of employers’ hopes to retain their staff and that, if they ‘quiet quit’, they may be compensated\u2014in whichever way they require\u2014to stay in their roles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Engagement, or rather lack thereof, is another factor driving quiet quitting. Research<\/a> indicates that a third of employees report being highly engaged at work. Engagement is intricately linked to meaning; that is, those who derive little meaning from their work tend to actively disengage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Studies have also found that up to 70% of employees feel that monotonous tasks consume their days\u2014ones that could just as easily be automated\u2014leaving little room for meaningful work that engages creative or strategic thinking to help the business move forward. Quiet quitting is, therefore, not so much about avoiding work as it is about creating a meaningful life outside it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Company culture<\/a> is another huge role player in the quiet quitting trend. Employees are more likely to quiet quit (or even actually quit) if the company culture is poor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simply put, if an employee is not engaged with their job, doesn’t find meaning in their work, and does not enjoy the workplace culture, you will be hard-pressed to get the best out of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is this thing serious?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In short, yes. But it can be salvaged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quiet quitting is a real problem for businesses, and HR needs to take serious steps to nip it in the bud as soon as they become aware of it. Having employees performing the bare minimum can have serious consequences not only on the business’s performance but also on its reputation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quiet quitting can result in, among other things:<\/p>\n\n\n\n