February 15, 2023 
Quiet quitting, contrary to its name, does not, in fact, involve finishing your employment.
It is not the act of leaving your office in the middle of the day and never returning; rather, it is the concept of “quitting” the practice of going above and beyond for your job. You fulfil your job requirements, and you do nothing more or less. You arrive on time and leave accordingly.
The opposite of ‘hustle culture’, this movement gained traction on the popular social media giant TikTok and has been used to combat burnout at work. It has some HR leaders understandably worried, but it’s complicated. Burnt-out employees cannot do their jobs effectively. However, if workers only stay within the tight parameters of their “job description”, companies lose productivity.
Much like fashion, workplaces also have trends that come and go. A significant difference these days is that trends don’t slowly treacle down; they crash like a tidal wave. Quiet quitting had dominated the corporate headlines in 2022, but it begs the question, where was all that furore when ‘hustle culture’ was in?
Hustle Culture
Hustle culture has always been bubbling at the surface. The idea of success and being the “greatest” has been part of the human psyche since the beginning of time. Whether it be becoming the leader, winning gold medals, or being the first to the moon – we love to compete. So it’s no surprise that this dominated the corporate arena.
Hustle culture is all about, as the name suggests, “hustling”.
It involves:
– Working hours longer than necessary
– Taking on side ‘gigs’ or other projects in your spare time
– Not taking time off as it is viewed as ‘weak’ or ‘lazy’
– Always being ‘switched on’ ready to work or build your career
Essentially, there is no ‘free time’; rather time is spent furthering your career in different forms. The idea of hustle culture has undoubtedly gained prominence over the years. However, it’s certainly not a new concept; you may know it by another name – a workaholic (though this was prior to it becoming a trend to boast about it on social media).
While furthering your career and taking opportunities to do so is admirable and, in doses, necessary to go up the ranks, hustle culture can and will lead to severe burnout.
What Is Burnout?
Burnout is a debilitating syndrome that causes physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion caused by extended periods of excessive stress. It can be brought on by a poor work culture, a lack of work/life balance, a feeling of no control and being unsure about your expectations. It is also an unfortunate consequence of hustle culture. As of 2019, WHO has officially recognised burnout as an “occupational phenomenon”.
Burnout: The Cost
It’s estimated that in the US, 120,000 people die each year from workplace stress. Stress leads to lost productivity, increased business costs, high absenteeism, and increased presenteeism.
Stress costs Australia’s economy $14.81 billion a year. This is further supported by alarming statistics that found that for every employee, 3.2 days are lost a year due to workplace stress.
Stress is also contagious: the absenteeism and lost productivity affect their team and department. They must overcompensate for the “absent” employee and place undue stress on themselves. Then, once prolonged, it results in burnout.
Additionally, burnout is growing. A 2021 Indeed survey showed that it had risen by a shocking 9% (to 52% of employees) compared to pre-covid times. In addition, the cost of burnout is astronomical. In the US, annual healthcare costs related to workplace burnout are estimated to be between $125 billion and $190 billion annually.
Combatting Stress & Burnout: An Employer’s Role
While stress is part of life – long periods of sustained stress are not. Although there are multiple ways to combat stress in the workplace, you need to decide what’s right for you, your company, and your employees.
Flexible Working
The latest trend, flexible working, has gained massive traction across the corporate sphere. It offers employees a better work-life balance, a sense of freedom, and has been shown to increase productivity. The great thing about it is that it can be flexible in many ways, it doesn’t just have to be or must be about whether people work in the office some days and at home on other days. It can be done through offering negotiable start and end hours or by letting employees be able to work anywhere in the office and not just be confined to their desks. Flexibility can significantly increase the employee experience and reduce stress.
Foster A Culture That Puts Wellbeing First
A workplace culture that rewards hustling and grinding can cause tremendous stress. While healthy competition is good, you should ensure that your company culture has employee wellbeing at its core. Having a corporate atmosphere that is designed to support and be there for your employees can not just reduce stress but also decrease absenteeism and staff turnover, as well as increase employee engagement and happiness.
Introduce Extracurriculars During Work Hours
Activities and extracurriculars can break up the day-to-day working routine and can give your employees a chance to bond and get a definitive break from work. It doesn’t have to be complicated; it could be as simple as arranging a 15-minute walk outside or organising a sports club. Make sure to keep it in work hours so employees don’t feel burdened to attend after work.
Also, emphasise that this is a break and it doesn’t mean that by participating you must stay later at work. You want this to be an activity that has no ‘penalty’. Stress cannot be avoided, but it can be mitigated. Make sure to regularly evaluate the company culture you’re fostering and check in on your employees to see if they’re doing okay.
Organise Check-Ins
Be sure to check in on your employees and your managers. While it might be the first thought to arrange manager-employee catch-ups, you also need to check up on your managers. 30% of managers experience stress-related mental health issues and burnout. With stress leading to irritability, anger, and a loss of productivity, it’s essential to help your company leaders perform at their very best. This is especially important as 60% of employees blame their boss for stress at work. Therefore, it’s crucial to support your managers and ensure they receive all the help they can get.
Burnout is a serious problem affecting many employees, which is why many are turning to “quiet quitting”. If you’re noticing a pattern where many of your employees are not wanting to do more, you should ask yourself, “Why?”. Why do your employees feel that they need to check out the minute work finishes, what is stressing them? Thinking in your employees’ shoes is key to reducing the quiet quitting phenomenon.
