OUR VIEW: Thinking out loud about the new TikTok-coined phrase quiet quitting

Published 9:30 am Saturday, August 27, 2022

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It feels like every week, there’s a new video making the rounds on TikTok, bringing new ideas and a fresh perspective to the everyday vernacular.

This week’s phrase of the month appears to “quiet quitting,” which has a couple of definitions, according to who you talk to. For those not up to speed on the latest social media trends, it appears most common definition of the phrase is when an employee decides to do only what is required and not a single drop more.

To be clear, the term doesn’t appear to define someone being less engaged in their job. However, it shouldn’t be shocking to know that the actual definition of this TikTok-coined phrase seems to differ depending on who you’re talking to.

The purpose of this new phenomenon is to create the perfect work-life balance. After all, we work so that we can afford to live and do things we enjoy, while also paying our bills and providing for our families. No one wants to get burnt out in a job, as it can have lasting impacts into the other parts of their life.

At the same time, this appears to be a new line of thinking compared to how most of us were raised. No one likes — or usually wants — to work overtime, but problems happen at the office and our parents taught us to be good, productive citizens in society. We were taught to lend a helping hand, work as hard as we could and that it would eventually pay off with more pay, more opportunities and hopefully promotions.

There’s clearly a generational shift in how people are thinking about their careers, and that’s OK. Every generation brings its own viewpoints to the table.

And we agree that finding the perfect work/life balance is a real problem. It’s not easy. We’re not sure anyone has truly perfected it.

But we’d also caution anyone who is doing just what they need to get by, especially younger people, and encourage them that the more involved they are, the more likely it’ll pay off in the future. That doesn’t mean anyone should expect you to work your life away. Rather, it means working hard while you’re young and communicating with your employer about future opportunities that could present themselves.

Everyone, regardless of line of work, wants to see the light at the end of the tunnel — the way to advance and better themselves. We’re not sure quiet quitting will get you there.