There is Nothing Quiet About Quitting
Originally Published October 2022
Quiet Quitting. A new term that has suddenly become common in our culture. Some see the term as a positive. Some see it as negative. And some see it as nothing new.
What exactly is “quiet quitting?” The answer to that depends on who is defining it. According to an article from Johns Hopkins University, quiet quitting can be defined in two ways. One view suggests that “quiet quitting” is removing oneself from the “climb-the-ladder” concept. In this view, employees reduce their career aspirations to focus on other, more personal aspects of life such as family, friends, and interests. This shift may be brought on by personal life changes such as the birth of a child or an illness. Additionally, many see the pandemic as having contributed to the growth of this view of quiet quitting as people reassessed what is most important in their lives.
The other view of “quiet quitting” is less positive. An employee is unhappy in their work, and so they determine that they will do the minimum. Work only within the defined hours and do only what the job requires. Employees don’t go above and beyond or put forth extra effort.
What does all of this mean for educators? Consider that no teacher ever tells a student prior to an assessment to, “Just put forth average effort.” No coach ever rewarded the athlete who doesn’t hustle with more playing time. In fact, one of the fundamental aspects of education is that we are teaching students about work and work ethic.
My real concern with the concept of “quiet quitting” is that people might be staying in jobs or in companies where they are unhappy. In a recent At the Table podcast, Patrick Lencioni talks about the importance of companies treating their employees right, but that doesn’t mean tolerating minimal work. None of us want our doctors, airplane pilots, or teachers, for example, to give minimal effort. We should be concerned about a movement that suggests that minimal effort is ok.
The question we have to address is, “Are these two concepts of “quiet quitting” in opposition with one another and with what we try to teach in schools?”
Actually, I don’t think so. I believe that we can teach students the value of wholeness in their lives - making time for meaningful work and achievement at work while also preserving time for family and non-work related pursuits. And we can also help them to understand they should pursue work in companies and organizations where they are valued as both contributing employees and as people.
We should help our students to pursue careers that allow them to connect skills they have learned with pursuits they care about. We should help them know that they have the right to expect fair treatment from their employers.
According to that Lencioni podcast, if you are unhappy with your work, then you should actually quit. I would add, if you don’t like what you are doing, pursue new or additional training to find a career that you do like and then find a company that will care about you, allow you to see that you are having an impact that is needed and meaningful, and will give your feedback about how you are doing.
Because here is the point: quitting is quitting, and there is nothing quiet about it.
