American employees are likely doing the bare minimum at work because they feel as if they’ve lost control over their lives.
The practice known as “quiet quitting” has picked up steam in the U.S. following the Covid pandemic. At least half of the 170-million-strong American workforce are quiet quitters, according to a 2023 Gallup poll.
Now, researchers say they’ve traced the root of recent quiet quitting to a feeling of uncertainty. Uncertainty about politics, the economy, health, and the climate crisis can make people feel as if they’ve lost control, which they believe could explain the phenomenon’s resurgence.
“The pandemic represented an aggregate shock to one’s perception of control,” Justine Herve, an assistant professor at New Jersey’s Stevens Institute of Technology, explained in a statement. “There was a lot of uncertainty.”
That’s not the only explanation.
Quiet quitting can also be tied to the employee’s belief that they are replaceable and a reduced commitment to their employer, the researchers said. However, fully understanding the precise mechanisms behind quiet quitting will take additional research.
The findings were based on an online survey of more than 1,400 individuals who answered questions about how they feel at work.
For employers, these answers may be unsettling, but there could be a quick fix for quiet quitting — or at least a way to mitigate the behavior.
Employers should ensure that their employees feel as if their daily contributions matter and that they have a voice at work.
“That doesn’t just mean giving employees more tasks or perks — it’s about creating conditions where they feel their work has impact, their input is valued, and they’re not easily replaceable,” Assistant Professor Hyewon Oh added. “Managers can take small steps, like involving employees in decision-making, clarifying how their work connects to the bigger picture, or giving them ownership over meaningful projects.”
Communication with employees is key to reducing disengagement and burnout at work, Gallup said. One meaningful conversation a week with each team member is the best habit for successful managers, according to the consulting firm.
But, quiet quitting is not always a negative, the Stevens researchers noted. The employees are still doing what’s expected of them, after all.
“They are just not going the extra mile, not taking on extra tasks, not devoting more time to their work beyond the required hours,” Herve said. “Refusing to perform tasks beyond what is required contractually does not necessarily imply disengagement during the agreed-upon work hours.”
