Doing the Bare Minimum at Work Has Gone Global

There is a global shift that needs to be made in the workplace, and the shift has to start at the top. This shift has to begin with managers acknowledging that an eight-hour workday isn’t acceptable anymore. Changing the workday from eight to five may be a challenge, especially for women and people of color.

‘Quiet quitting’

Some people are blaming life demands for this trend. For example, Maggie Perkins left her job as a teacher in the wake of the birth of her daughter. Those who don’t feel secure in their job might find other ways to cope.

While doing the bare minimum isn’t the same as quitting, this trend can be characterized as refusing to do more work than is required. Some quiet quitters don’t share their ideas during meetings or contribute to group projects, either. Others might just not show up to work on time.

‘Doing the bare minimum’

A new term has emerged to describe the trend of doing the bare minimum at work: quiet quitting. It’s becoming common across career sites, and some job coaches are warning against the practice. Meanwhile, some workers are going viral on TikTok and sharing their reasons for quiet quitting. It’s important to know that quiet quitting does not necessarily mean quitting a job – it simply means setting boundaries and refusing to go above and beyond.

According to a recent study, the majority of the global workforce does not feel engaged at work and only puts in the bare minimum to get by. The study highlights some interesting geographic differences. For instance, more than a third of employees in the U.S. are engaged in their work, nearly twice the global average. Conversely, fewer than 10 percent of employees in Western Europe and the U.K. are engaged at work.

‘Quiet firing’

Many millennials and Gen Z workers are questioning the concept of doing the bare minimum at work. They’re tired of not receiving adequate recognition or compensation for the hours they put in at work. They’re also concerned about their work-life balance. This movement is centred around the concept of “acting your wage” and self-preservation. After an American TikTok video went viral, the term “quitting doing the bare minimum at work” has become a global phenomenon.

While quitting the bare minimum at work may seem like a personal choice, there is research to support that it benefits both employers and employees. In addition to preventing businesses from getting the most out of their staff, disengagement at work also results in workers putting in long hours for unfulfilling jobs. According to Gallup, the trend has led to a shift in employee attitudes toward their jobs. In fact, in a recent survey, only 34% of workers in America were engaged in their work. This is the first decline in a decade.

COVID lockdowns

The COVID lockdowns have become a common part of public health policy, but their implementation has caused more harm than good. They are an inadequate public health response to an emerging disease that affects the most vulnerable groups in the world, and they have increased social and economic inequalities. Moreover, they are based on outdated information about virus transmission and are implemented at a geographic scale that does not adequately account for the ways the disease can spread. They have also led to heightened social conflict and undermined trust in governments and politics.

The response to the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in unprecedented economic contraction in many countries. Lockdowns have also reduced global levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) by approximately 60%, although mixed effects have been noted on ozone levels.

TikTok

The phrase “quit quitting” has gone global, thanks to a viral video posted on TikTok. It describes avoiding burnout and engaging in the bare minimum at work, while remaining productive. While the underlying concept is sound – avoiding occupational burnout is good for your mental health – the phrase has been taken way out of context.

While the term is used with a negative connotation, many human resources experts see it as a trend towards workers setting clearer boundaries. One example of this is Paula Allen, the Global Leader of Research at LifeWorks. Allen believes in a rational lifestyle, but not one that leads to a “quit” mentality.

Remote work

While it may not be the first time people are looking for remote work options, the recent quiet quitting phenomenon seems to have gone global. Many observers see this as a reversion to the mean, due to the super-tight labor market and multiple job options. But for some, the quiet quitting phenomenon represents a positive trend.

The lack of face-to-face contact is a major challenge for remote workers, and this can lead to unspoken rivalry between co-workers. Many people also have the mistaken belief that remote workers are less productive than their office-based counterparts. That is why employers should encourage hybrid work, hold regular virtual meetings, and be selective in allowing remote workers to join their teams.