Tuesday, October 4, 2022

On Quiet Quitting

There has been a new complaint in the corporate world that I believe is the result of mass remote working.  It's a term called "Quiet Quitting" and it is something that has been hitting all the major news outlets lately.

Basically, the term refers to an employee, usually a white-collar employee, who does what is perceived as the minimum amount of work required of him or her to maintain their job and collect a paycheck.  It usually has a negative connotation when it is discussed in most mainstream outlets and executive circles.

The thing is, the Quiet Quitting phenomenon seems to be have arisen because white-collar employees started working remotely on a large scale following the COVID-19 insanity.  My best guess is that people took the time reevaluate their value and realized that they are only paid for 40 hours a week.  Nothing more.

They also realized that they won't ever advance in their careers if they were just working extra hours.  In fact, working extra hours usually will, at best, not be recognized by your manager or, at worst, intimidate your manager because they might think you are trying to get their job.

Simply working long hours for no pay isn't the only thing that gets you promoted.  Simply doing your job is not what gets you promoted.  So if you work long hours doing the work you've been assigned, you more than likely will not advance in your career.  From what I can tell, most career advancement occurs when you find a new job that has higher pay and a higher position.  Very few companies offer any chance of career advancement or even lay out a plan to allow you to advance.

And let's be honest: not everyone can become a leader in a given organization.  A leader with no followers is just an asshole on a soapbox.  So really, there is nothing wrong with being a Delta in the corporate world, especially if you are content in your job.

That being said, there is nothing wrong with advancing your career or working extra for your employer, provided that you understand that if you are paid a salary, you are not compensated for that extra time.

By the same token, it is perfectly okay to simply do the job you are paid to do.  If your employer feels that you should do more, ask for more money in return.  If this gets you fired, look at it as an opportunity to find a better job.  The corporate world is a mercenary one and you need to know that your job is never permanent.  I currently work at a contracting company but I am well aware that someday the contracts will dry up, at least the ones that I work on, and I will have to leave.  God-Willing, that won't be anytime soon, but you never know.

In short, the term Quiet Quitting is being to shame employees into working more instead of recognizing their value and allowing them to work on their terms.  If you as an employer need more from an employee and you don't think they can meet your expectations, then just fire them instead of shaming them.  This isn't high school, this is supposed to be real world.