Quiet Quitting - the new “great resignation”

Mullinabreena

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119540942#Comment_119540942

Management are inept at best, plus quite a strong union unwilling to change. Topping up a decent basic wage is more important than family time to most here.

Sunny Disposition

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119541041#Comment_119541041

Interesting, and probably true. The people I have working from home are quite good, am very happy with how things have gone since we closed the office, which was a huge financial burden. But I do think it's more important now to stay in touch with them, keep them feeling like they're part of something.

What you say about competitiveness or camaraderie is very interesting, I've never really understood why employees, my own ones included, would work extra hours for no benefit to themselves. Maybe some kind of peer pressure more than anything else? In my opinion a lot of the brightest ones wouldn't do a tap extra. They could still be your best workers if you managed them right, made them feel important etc, but basically I felt they could see working extra hours for no more pay was them being exploited. They are right of course, but a lot of people would nearly take a bit of pride in doing unpaid work for you.

Pussyhands

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119540813#Comment_119540813

Those who do a productive days work during their contracted hours. We all know ones who just do the bare minimum during the day and spend the other hours pretending to look busy.

I remember as a young lad getting a job in a bakery. It was the odd day here and there. We were told to clean the conveyors. The conveyors stopped so me and a few other newbies stood there doing nothing. Another lad who worked before said don't just stand there doing nothing because if the boss sees you they won't call you back. So we grabbed sweeping brushes and started cleaning up.

Quiet quitting is essentially just doing what you're asked and nothing else.

It's just a support group for lazy people to feel like it's something they should do. They're losers who think they're "sticking it to the employer" when in fact they're never going to progress.

Sunny Disposition

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119541433#Comment_119541433

Fair play to the union, but the management must be very inept for sure.

Former Former Former

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119541041#Comment_119541041

But if you suggest that employees should have to come back to the office, then that sets them off too.

Sunny Disposition

Very interesting to hear the employees side of it.

I was at a networking thing last night and there is an awful lot of concern about staff. Some people in business only recently have almost no experience of giving pay rises or struggling to keep staff, they wouldn't have been around for the Celtic Tiger years. They're finding it very stressful, the more experienced people don't get as worked up.

It seems to me the guys struggling with quiet quitting haven't really adjusted to remote working. They just let the staff off, deal with them very little, and that's not cutting it.

I've tried to bring my lads together for conference calls and fortnightly social afternoons. I felt most of them would do little work on a Friday evening anyway, so I offer them dinner and a few pints from 4pm, for anyone who can make it. Realistically the cost is very small because I did a deal with a pub chain on the food and there's a tax write off for staff entertainment.

Greyfox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119541452#Comment_119541452

You act like you know what quiet quitting is and then you say the word "lazy" which clearly shows that you have absolutely no idea what quiet quitting is, did you read the article? How are you linking doing your job with been lazy?

Pussyhands

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119542190#Comment_119542190

Because you get paid for your time and/or skills at work.

If you just do the bare minimum, you're not being productive making you lazy.

BattleCorp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119542267#Comment_119542267

Quiet Quitting is not about doing the bare minimum while you are in work, it's about working your contracted hours and not doing anything extra for free. So, if normal hours are 9 to 5 and you don't get paid overtime, then you clock out at 5 and don't do any extra work for free. It's not about dossing during the 9 to 5.

I don't know why people think Quiet Quitting = Lazy.

Pussyhands

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119542373#Comment_119542373

Quiet quitting doesn't actually involve quitting. Employees are 'quitting' going above and beyond. They are logging off at 5pm sharp, doing only assigned tasks, and declining to do any extra unpaid work.

In one of her sketches, her boss 'Susan' hands files to staff member 'Veronica' asking her to get the work done by the end of the day. Veronica replies: "It's 2022. We're acting our wage, so don't give us any extra work."

It's lazy. "we're acting our wage". The whole thing is juvenile.

Solicitor Richard Grogan, who specialises in employment law, has racked up thousands of views and followers on TikTok by answering questions and explaining people's rights in the workplace.

"I wouldn't recommend it if you want to have a career in an organisation or you want to get promoted," Mr Grogan said.

He said a contract will normally have a provision that employees work overtime from time to time "so it's not just a question of 9 to 5, the employer can, according to the contract, want you to do extra".

"So, taking a decision that I'm just going to work 9 to 5 and put the pen down and go home, is one that is probably going to result in a lot of difficulties, if I can put it that way."

It's lazy, pure and simple. Imagine you're in a restaurant and you order food and then ask if you can get another jug of water. The employee can go "oh that's not my job, get the water yourself". In 5 years time these people will still be stuck in a dead end job doing the same tasks they were 5 years ago wondering why they're still there.

BattleCorp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119542450#Comment_119542450

I'm not one for quiet quitting myself but I'm also not an eejit who is going to work three or four hours per day for free. I don't mind a bit here and there but not all the time. And I do agree with you that if you do a bit extra, you are more likely to be promoted, but that depends on the organisation you are working in. I personally believe in a little give and take between employer and employee...........but both sides there can be guilty and take advantage of that situation.

That said, I don't agree with you that quiet quitting is lazy. I'd expect employees to work hard during their contracted hours, but once those hours are up, (and they don't get paid overtime) then any time after that is their time, not the employer's time. Why should they work for free during their time?

The analogy about the jug of water isn't relevant. It's a waiter's job to do that.

Pussyhands

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119542639#Comment_119542639

The "working for 3 or 4 hours a day for free" is only one aspect of quiet quitting. The others are refusing to do any additional tasks outside of what your job is

Employees are 'quitting' going above and beyond. They are logging off at 5pm sharp, doing only assigned tasks, and declining to do any extra unpaid work.

They talk of toxic workplaces, yet imagine having these toxic people as work colleagues. I work extra hours. I don't get overtime but I do get bonuses and promotions because of it so I'm not actually working for free. Meanwhile the 'quiet quitters' then bitch and whinge that they don't get the same.

I hope quiet quitting becomes more widespread, makes people like me who want to be productive and go above and beyond, reap more rewards 😎

SAMTALK

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119542731#Comment_119542731

As per quote "declining to do any extra UNPAID work

Why would I do extra unpaid work ? My contract is 9 -5 for x amount. anything you want outside that you pay me

Why should I give up family time for nothing ?

Pussyhands

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119542790#Comment_119542790

I just explained. I do "free" work, which is one of the reasons why I get great bonuses and promotions.

It's funny though, the people who are like "No way am I doing anything extra, I work from 9x5 and that's it!" yet they're the same crowd dossing on their phones, wasting time in the jacks, going out for smokes etc.

Sonics2k

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119542450#Comment_119542450

Well no, if you're in a restaurant, and you ask the server to grab you a jug of water, then they'll do it as they're on shift.

The issue stems from managers and owners who expect their staff to work late, do over time and "work for free" when they're no longer being paid to do so. I ran a restaurant years ago, if we were crazy busy and I needed someone to work a few more hours, I'd pay them for it. I'd never, ever, expect them to do it for free.

Greyfox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119542267#Comment_119542267

And now your posting complete and utter garbage. Common sense says If your doing your job correctly you are been productive. Doing the bare minimum is still doing your job correctly, I think you need to read the article again as you seem to of completely missed what it's actually about.

Pussyhands

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119542901#Comment_119542901

Once again, quiet quitting is not only about working extra hours.

SAMTALK

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119542836#Comment_119542836

Maybe where you work that might be the case. Where I work I do my work in the hours i am employed to work

So if i get a carpenter to fit a kitchen for me is it ok for me to buy a flat packed wardrobe and ask him would he mind staying an extra few hours and putting it together at no extra cost ?

Floppybits

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119543111#Comment_119543111

You can if you let him believe you will promote him or give him a bonus.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119543046#Comment_119543046

No, it's about doing what you agreed to do when you and employer set out your tasks.

If they wanted more they should have put it in the job description and negotiated.

What you promote is bad faith negotiating, on the employers part, in knowingly expecting more than they tender for

Sonics2k

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119543046#Comment_119543046

Never said it was. You're putting forth a bad faith argument, a claim that workers are suddenly refusing to do the basics of their job. In this case the claim that a server wouldn't go and get a jug of water for a customer, something you know to be an exaggeration and simply not true and not what this is about.

Fandymo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119530055#Comment_119530055

Lazy and unmotivated?? It sounds like people doing the job they’re paid for and not being sucked into doing extra for free.

One eyed Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119543003#Comment_119543003

It’s the doing it and not explaining to the person you report directly to, that’s what you’re doing, is the problem. The person you report directly to might not necessarily be your employer, but they would be the next in the chain of command so to speak. They may be unaware of your intention to do just what is required of you, and no more, no less. I could definitely see that sort of attitude and behaviour leading to a tense environment in the workplace, before an employer might even get wind of it going on.

One eyed Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119544008#Comment_119544008

It’s clear from just this thread alone, that everyone has their different interpretations of the idea in principle. It’s in it’s practice is where the real issues will show up. It’s not the refusal to do unpaid labour I have an issue with, I wouldn’t do that myself.

It’s what’s implied by the term - “quiet quitting”, basically knowingly disengaging from their employment and purposely keeping it to themselves, rather than just telling their boss, if they’re asked to do extra work, “no”. Does anyone actually consider that an unreasonable expectation?

Greyfox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119544019#Comment_119544019

Then they need to ask the employee if they can do a bit more or if they can do it right away. If the employee can't do it till the next morning then the employee should politely explain this.

One eyed Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119544435#Comment_119544435

Ah but then there’s no passive aggressive drama to play the hero in their own narrative about on social media! 🤔

Basically the whole term is a bit silly. People have always been doing exactly as you’ve suggested for decades without making a thing of it. I know I’ve done it many times when I needed my boss to be a bit flexible, and they’ve done the same for me, and most times people have done it for each other on the team. It’s rare that I’ve ever heard of anyone making a thing of it that even remotely resembles the idea of “quiet quitting”. Achieving a work/life balance is to be commended. Behaving like they’re in school… not so much.

Greyfox

It depends, its silly if their boss is not making unreasonable requests but we don't know, maybe they do have people making unreasonable requests after their finish time.

Potential-Monke

OEJ has it right, quiet quitting is something different to everyone. It all depends on the job. The waiter example above, it's 100% his job to get another jug of water, but he'd be right to say No to being asked to do the washup in the kitchen, or prep food for the next day. You wouldn't ask the mechanic to valet your car once he's done changing the front bearings, even if you paid him for it.

This expectation that you need to work free hours in order to get a bonus is more toxic workplace crap that only those who have no issue walking on others will do. Working for free should never NEVER be expected of an employee. But an employee should also never be asked to do jobs beyond their role either. My place is a cnut for it. I applied and got an IT support role, but I spend most my time fixing the problems created by other people on admin tasks that have nothing to do with my job (saying that, I'm here 3 years and no KPI's yet so I don't think I can get fired!). Each job is different, and I'm happy we're moving away from everyone doing everything. Jack of all trades is a master of none.

IMO, bonuses are there to reward employees who do their job and stick out all the BS that happens every year. Ours is tied to company performance, so I genuinely don't see the appeal of working my bollox off to maybe get a bonus, but only if the overlords make enough millions. If they only make some millions, I get nothing. And what I would get is pittance anyway, which is then marked down according to performance. I can get 100% just by doing my job, the extra effort required of my own time and sanity to get the extra 25% on top is never worth it. I'd be gone but I can't find any other night jobs, and after experiencing the bliss of night work, I won't go back on days if I can.

Floppybits

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119545194#Comment_119545194

Welcome to IT @Potential-Monke, I've been in IT going on 25 years and it has always been like that, I call it the "bailing out department" because you can bet if someone in an non-IT Admin role screws up it is usually the IT person that resolves the issue with all sorts of management breathing down their nexk. Always been like that and I think all will be like that but for me its enjoyable. Don't get me started on the Non tech manager that is put in charge of a Tech team it just doesn't work and can destroy the dynamic of a Tech team. In my experience IT departments are probably the ones where employees do a lot of work for free or taken advantage off by employers mainly due to the nature of the job, you can't just leave at 5pm if you are working on an issue, and also that most folks who work in IT see it as a "hobby" and because of that they will often stay on not thinking that it is free labour. Also IT folks are lazy when it comes to filling out timesheets and would basically look to copy and paste in their hours and not put in the overtime, the amount of times I had to go round and remind people in Tech Teams to fill in the overtime they have done.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119546498#Comment_119546498

This is me!

You get stuck in the middle of something and don't even realise the time but... I do tend to take that time back when it suits me (not the department)