What is the 'Quiet Quitting' workplace trend taking over TikTok?

The millennial hustle culture is over – well, according to TikTok, as workers reel back their work efforts to avoid burnout.

A new trend, "quiet quitting", has taken over the platform with a staggering 3.7 million views from the hashtag alone.

Quiet quitting follows in the footsteps of 2021's Great Resignation, where the number of people who quit their jobs reached a 20-year high in November.

According to Pew Research, "majorities of workers who quit a job in 2021 say low pay (63 per cent), no opportunities for advancement (63 per cent) and feeling disrespected at work (57 per cent) were reasons why they quit.

"At least a third say each of these were major reasons why they left."

So, what is the new trend in town?

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What is "quiet quitting"?

In short, it's doing the job you are paid to do. No more going above and beyond for little or no reward. Workers are taking a step back and doing the bare minimum instead of quitting altogether.

Examples include leaving as soon as the clock strikes 5pm, no longer responding to messages after work hours or overanalysing emails from your boss.

The concept epitomises that work is not your life, it is not the only priority. There's much more to life than hustle culture and burning out.

One of the most-liked explanations on TikTok comes from career coach Bryan Creely.

In his viral clip, Creely disclaimed: "This isn't a long-term strategy or a strategy for those who care about climbing the corporate ladder, but for those of you who don't and are feeling burnt out, maybe dial it back a bit because you won't be the only one."

More people are “quiet quitting” instead of leaving. #quitmyjob #corporate #corporatelife #job #jobburnout #greatresignation #career #workthisway #

More people are “quiet quitting” instead of leaving. #quitmyjob #corporate #corporatelife #job #jobburnout #greatresignation #career #workthisway #

What is burnout?

Breaking point at work is being acknowledged and medically recognised – mainly because it's become so prevalent that it simply cannot be ignored.

Dr Jeff Foster, Medical Director & Male Health Lead at H3 Health, defined the condition to Indy100 as "the physical or mental collapse caused by overwork or stress." He added that more people are being signed off work with burnout, work stress or anxiety than ever before because it can become "really unhealthy to the point of unsafe."

The common symptoms consist of "tiredness, fatigue, irritability, stress, anxiety, sleeplessness, poor motivation, decreased sex drive, feelings of helplessness and despair."

According to the World Health Organization, burnout comprises three components: exhaustion, cynicism, and diminished performance.

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