Quiet quitting is a trend that’s sweeping the nation. The basic principle is that employees are pushing back on unrealistic job expectations and reclaiming their time, energy, and job responsibilities.
Some people are lauding it as a great workers’ movement, while others are shaming it as this generation’s "lazy" work ethic. But an entire swath of the population is entirely left out of the movement: people of color, LBTQIA individuals, people who are disabled, and the helping professions.
Why Is This?
According to Sara Rahmani, VP of People Experience and DEI at Chronus, a workplace mentoring software company, "Minorities, especially those with intersectional identities, can’t always pull back. They’re already held to exceptionally high standards because of implicit bias, and pulling back from work might be seen as rejecting authority instead of boundary setting." As an intersectional writer myself, I definitely know what she means.
When someone is seen as rejecting authority, they may lose out on promotions, get written up at work, and could potentially be fired. They’re often labeled as an outcast and not a team player.
It can lead to quiet firing, where management creates a hostile environment so the worker wants to leave. So, it's really a double-edged sword for employees who want to do a good job, but also establish good boundaries at work.
Essentially, quiet quitting exasperates this potential trigger in the American workforce for those of us who haven't traditionally been in a position of privilege.
The stakes are also higher for us because we may face racism, sexism, homophobia, and other biases when job hunting. So, staying in a job, even in a job with higher-than-realistic work expectations, might be better than finding a new job with unknown challenges.
But What About Burnout?
Rahmani goes on to say that those unrealistic job expectations increase burnout in populations with less working privilege.
Burnout is “physical, emotional, or mental exhaustion, accompanied by decreased motivation, lowered performance and negative attitudes toward oneself and others” if you’re asking the American Psychological Association. And, well, they kinda know their stuff.
If you’re asking me, well, basically, it’s bad news.
Those who suffer from burnout have lower production at work and might feel unsatisfied with their job. And it can take a serious toll on their mental and physical health.
When I suffered from burnout, I slept 14-16 hours a night, didn’t have time for anything but work, and was too exhausted to participate in any of the hobbies I loved. It sucked. Hard.
How To Prevent Burnout
Navigating burnout is hard. But prevention starts with establishing boundaries. Small ones to start, but vocal ones — not quiet.
Your approach should be different if you have a supportive or unsupportive boss, but Rahmani states that “the ultimate goal is to set boundaries from the beginning. It’s never too late to stand up and be your own advocate.”
You need to frame those boundaries in a positive way. And you need to talk to people about your boundaries, not just quietly change your behavior. Having a supportive network is crucial to being able to maintain those boundaries.
Physical, mental, and emotional boundaries are at the core of work-life boundaries. It’s critical you’re in a space where you don’t feel like you’re overextending yourself.
Psst, not sure what kinds of boundaries would help? Check out these work-life balance tips that people say have really helped reduce their stress.
Creating a feedback loop is also really important. You should be able to share feedback openly and candidly with your manager. You can work with them and talk to them if you have it open, and say something like, "Here’s a list of all of my priorities. Can we work to reset those priorities?"
So, What Happens If Your Boundaries Aren’t Respected?
This happened to Rahkim Sabree before he quit his job and became a financial coach and author of the book Financially Irresponsible. He worked in corporate for 10 years and felt the burnout strong. Instead of quiet quitting, he quit to control the narrative going forward. He didn’t want people to see him as weak but empowered.
During his time in corporate, he learned three very important things that helped him end his career well and move on to bigger and better things.
1. Document everything.
And when we say everything, we mean everything. Document when you’re doing your work duties. Document where you’re going above and beyond. Maybe you’re in Toastmasters. Maybe you show up to functions outside of work. Whatever you’re doing, you need to keep a documentation log to show your boss to justify any boundaries.
Keeping that as a living, breathing document is the best thing you can do to ensure you’re covered at work.
2. Be careful who you share things with.
The last thing you want is something getting back to your boss that you don’t want them to hear. Whatever conversation you’re having with your coworkers, ensure that you only say things you would want your boss to hear.
You don’t know who might be listening in on your conversation or who might report it to your boss — maybe incorrectly. So, it's important to ensure that everything is above board because of the implicit biases you face in the workplace. And I get it. It’s not fun.
3. HR is for the company, not your friend.
Human Resources' job is to ensure that the company's needs are taken care of. While many companies try to position HR as your friend, ultimately, HR works for the company, not for you.
If things are getting rough, you can go to HR. But they might not be able to help you the way you need. It’s just the way the cookie crumbles.
So, Where’s The Happy Ending?
