By now, you are likely familiar with the term of quiet quitting. It has been all over the Internet and office conversations. There are many opinions about it. Some see it as a sign of laziness; others see it as a pushback to burnout. While quiet quitting has gained a momentum due to labour shortages and the shifting power dynamic between employer and employee, is it a smart career move?
Agilus is an organization that understands that work is a significant piece of employees’ work+life equation. Simply put – we care about employees’ whole life, work included. This statement is true for both #teamAgilus employees and candidates. Driven by the work needs of people, we connect candidates with meaningful opportunities. Therefore, we are invested in employee engagement and whether hustling or quiet quitting gets the results they want.
Where are you on the workload scale?
There are two kinds of people who fall at opposite ends of working mentality spectrum. There are hustlers who work relentlessly to achieve excellence, and then, there are those who only do what they are required of their job. Can there be a happy medium where employees go the extra mile while maintaining a healthy work +life balance?
Putting in extra hours can be a great way to expedite your career growth and leap up that career ladder; however, the attitude of working harder, faster and longer for an extended period can lead to burnout. Does this sound like you? A study at Yale University showed that one out of five employees reported high engagement and high burnout. While they are highly enthusiastic about their jobs, they are also stressed and frustrated, and have intentions to leave their workplaces. Can you be highly engaged at work without experiencing burn out?
On the other hand, frequent quiet quitters are also easy to spot. If they feel disengaged, unmotivated or show lack of enthusiasm, their work productivity decreases. This also leads to team discourse as some team members feel they are carrying more then their fair share and quiet quitters are prioritizing their mental health and personal time. Both factions believe they have the best interest of the company and their long-term health at heart. Do you arrive at work just in time? Do you watch the leave exactly on time regardless of your workload or deadlines? If so, you are not alone. Gallup recently measured employee engagement and found that young employee (under the age of 35) engagement has decreased since 2019, and the number of those who have been actively disengaged has increased from 13 to 18 per cent.
We believe it is possible to have a healthy work-life boundary. Work, just like life, can be unpredictable. Some workdays are slow; others require extra hours to get the job done. On the personal side, some days go according to a plan; others make us feel like we are not in control of our lives.
New World of Work
In slow economies and during layoffs, quiet quitters could put themselves in disadvantage when it comes to keeping their jobs. If others have continuously gone above and beyond their job requirements, they are more likely to have a greater job security than those who have detached from their jobs. However, in the current talent shortage and after the global pandemic, employees are drawing a line in the sand on the volume of work, where and when they work, and how they get work done. What is your current work style? If you had more flexibility, could you get more work done? If you had a documented career development path, could you take your foot off the gas petal?
At the end of the day, it is about flexibility and healthy balance. You need to be engaged to meet and/or exceed your employer’s expectations. Similarly, you need an employer who supports you when “life happens” and trusts you to manage your workload with no surprises. Whether it is in a job interview or a weekly meeting with your manager, good communications and clear expectations are the keys to finding or building a good fit for your career goals and lifestyle.
Neither hustling nor quiet quitting works in the long run. Like in life, moderation and flexibility are key.
We can help you find a new role
If you are feeling overwhelmed or unmotivated in your current role, you may need to make a change. Connect with our recruiters or seek new open opportunities here. Learn more about job seeking in the current job market and why Agilus is not your average recruiting firm here: talent-talks.
