Quiet Quitting.

[Oldbones]

Quite Quitting.
I was talking to another employee yesterday and he was telling me about Quite Quitting.
So I went and looked it up on you tube.
An eye opener indeed, to which may resonate with many, me included.
Have any of you done this or heard about it.
Its food for thought.

 

[onomatopoeia]

Maybe in a larger organisation you could do that, but in a tiny company (five employees) like I work at, if something needs doing, you do it. I'm a software engineer, but I also do networks, hardware, infrastructure, telecoms, I.T. etc as needed.

 

[lindsay]

It strikes me that quiet quitting is not very different to "going through the motions". I reckon that if your job gets to that stage, you need to either get a different job or choose a new path in life. Otherwise the mental attitude of quiet quitting could very easily lead to a mental ill-health scenario, depression at being obliged to do the job whilst wanting to be somewhere, anywhere, else.

 

[woof woof]

I never managed it myself. I always threw myself into work and became an obsessed workaholic until I just lost all interest and left but even then I made sure there was cover.

 

[AndrewFlannigan]

For those who, like me, are seeing this term for the first time, this may help (starts in the third section)....

Work-to-rule - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

If I wasn't happy I always found a new job, gave in my notice and went. The references I got were always good, because I'd quit while I was winning. As a result, when I moved into contract work I was well prepared and the only difference to my previous jobs was better pay.

 

[Topsy]

For those who, like me, are seeing this term for the first time, this may help (starts in the third section)....

Work-to-rule - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

If I wasn't happy I always found a new job, gave in my notice and went. The references I got were always good, because I'd quit while I was winning. As a result, when I moved into contract work I was well prepared and the only difference to my previous jobs was better pay.

Thanks Andrew, saved me a search.

I've been fortunate enough to have always enjoyed my work so I've always given 100% but I tell my grandkids these days you are very fortunate to have work you enjoy. I think the employment situation today means many people take whatever work they can get to earn a living if they happen to enjoy it that's a bonus (certainly here in the rural south west). I remember years ago there was a phrase going around Work to live don't live to work which I think is something similar, not an attitude I was ever able to get into though.

 

[Mr Bump]

I didn't retire/quit my job i was on contract to MOJ and got a text from my agency while pulling in to HMP Belmarsh saying I had my one weeks notice.

I didn't even bother ringing them just worked my week submitted my final invoice and expenses and just slid into retirement.

 

[gman]

Quiet Quitting and Equality of Output are somewhat related, both strangle innovation. But whilst Quiet Quitting isn't in my ethos, I also recognise that if an employer wants someone to go above and beyond, then they should a;sp be prepared to reward that employee accordingly. As the saying goes, nothimg will destroy a great employee faster than watching an employer tolerate and reward the bad ones.

 

[JohnMcL7]

I find it frustrating because when I've seen this being done by others the company are not remotely bothered but it has affected other people in the team who have to pick up the work that's not being done, I've suffered particularly badly from this in the past. I agree with the posts above if you're not happy with aspects of the company you're working with and those can't be changed which is totally reasonable, move on somewhere else.

It's not something I'd do myself regardless of my thoughts of the company I'm working for, I find work much better when I have a good problem I can get my teeth into and get some satisfaction when I've solved it. I get bored sitting around doing the minimum and I wouldn't be comfortable knowing my workmates are the ones having to pay for it.

 

[Jelster]

It strikes me that quiet quitting is not very different to "going through the motions". I reckon that if your job gets to that stage, you need to either get a different job or choose a new path in life. Otherwise the mental attitude of quiet quitting could very easily lead to a mental ill-health scenario, depression at being obliged to do the job whilst wanting to be somewhere, anywhere, else.

My work mantra was always:

There are good bits and bad bits to the job,; when the bad start out weighing the good, it's time to go.

If you need any further career advice, just ask

 

[AndrewFlannigan]

There are good bits and bad bits to the job,; when the bad start out weighing the good, it's time to go.

Good advice from my one time boss and long time friend: "Like it or not, when things go well, it's down to the employees; when they go wrong, it's down to the management.".

 

[the black fox]

I do remember a time when I used to leave the house at the same time daily , ,but the expression “ work “ is long long forgotten LOL

 

[LeeRatters]

I find it frustrating because when I've seen this being done by others the company are not remotely bothered but it has affected other people in the team who have to pick up the work that's not being done, I've suffered particularly badly from this in the past. I agree with the posts above if you're not happy with aspects of the company you're working with and those can't be changed which is totally reasonable, move on somewhere else.

It's not something I'd do myself regardless of my thoughts of the company I'm working for, I find work much better when I have a good problem I can get my teeth into and get some satisfaction when I've solved it. I get bored sitting around doing the minimum and I wouldn't be comfortable knowing my workmates are the ones having to pay for it.

Unless those workmates are already climbing the quiet quitting ladder ahead of you ...

 

[gman]

Good advice from my one time boss and long time friend: "Like it or not, when things go well, it's down to the employees; when they go wrong, it's down to the management.".

What I found in my younger days in that vein is that accountants were treated like goalkeepers. When the business was making lots of money, the accountant would get no credit, but when the company was losing money the accountant would get all the blame. The reality in my experience was actually similar to as you say, but often not acknowledged (delusions of grandeur by management)

 

[saltireblue]

There are good bits and bad bits to the job,; when the bad start out weighing the good, it's time to go.

That's why I took early retirement, 2 years before 'full time'. In my case a boss I found impossible to work under made up my mind for me; if it hadn't been for her, I would have continued as long beyond retirement age as possible as I truly loved my job. I stopped looking forward to going to work every day...

 

[Dave Canon]

I could not have taken this attitude. In my youngers days I would have gladly paid to do my job (assuming I had other means to support myself). Except for the last 3 years, I always looked forward to work and particularly to Monday mornings. I certainly worked more than my paid hours over my career and also gave up a lot of spare time for additional studying to broaden my knowledge. For the first year of my retirement, I felt guilty about not working but this wore off. I was not aware of any work colleagues "Quiet Quitting" either though clearly there must have been some particularly when close to retirement.

Dave

 

[Jelster]

I could not have taken this attitude. In my youngers days I would have gladly paid to do my job (assuming I had other means to support myself). Except for the last 3 years, I always looked forward to work and particularly to Monday mornings. I certainly worked more than my paid hours over my career and also gave up a lot of spare time for additional studying to broaden my knowledge. For the first year of my retirement, I felt guilty about not working but this wore off. I was not aware of any work colleagues "Quiet Quitting" either though clearly there must have been some particularly when close to retirement.

Dave

The best job I ever had was managing a sales team, a real mix of hard workers, youngsters and lazy b*******s. We became the best performing team in the company (there were 4 sales teams) even doing better than the "elite" squad which my Sales Director manged himself. Then one day he told that he was moving my 3 best sales people to his team, and wanted me to take on the poor performers from the other teams and "turn them around". No reduced target, no additional pay or commision. It meant that I would probably earn 25 - 30% less over the next business year. I spoke to the CEO who told me that the guy thought I was after his job. So, I'm doing a job I really enjoyed, and making it a success, then my bosses ego jumps in a spoils it. I walked out that day, knowing full well I could find something else in the industry.

I should have hung around, the Sales Director was moved out of the role 3 months later.

 

[Box Brownie]

The best job I ever had was managing a sales team, a real mix of hard workers, youngsters and lazy b*******s. We became the best performing team in the company (there were 4 sales teams) even doing better than the "elite" squad which my Sales Director manged himself. Then one day he told that he was moving my 3 best sales people to his team, and wanted me to take on the poor performers from the other teams and "turn them around". No reduced target, no additional pay or commision. It meant that I would probably earn 25 - 30% less over the next business year. I spoke to the CEO who told me that the guy thought I was after his job. So, I'm doing a job I really enjoyed, and making it a success, then my bosses ego jumps in a spoils it. I walked out that day, knowing full well I could find something else in the industry.

I should have hung around, the Sales Director was moved out of the role 3 months later.

I have been in an opposite position i.e. a poor manager who took the credit for all the good things but dissed team members for anything including his own mistakes.

I won't bore you with the details but suffice to say that over a 3 month period all of the team resigned!

I later learned that he was still there but demoted to a non management position.

Oh, in another sales role the company changed the sales director who I recall meeting sometime before when he was at the Ford motor company. I realised he was a real 'prize'.

During his chairing of his first sales meeting there was much discussion about market share and how to reverse a dip compared to our prime competition. One team member suggested increasing 'our' presence with a new advertising campaign to raise the company profile.

His response really soured the meeting when he replied "if we did that I wouldn't need all you f***ing lot, so who should I fire today ....." To say the least the rest of the meeting was very quiet as no one wanted to put their over the metaphorical parapet!

 

[Oldbones]

Good response here, Thanks.
For me I am now quiet quitting my job.
At this point I only work four days a week.
It all started a while ago, got the job from an old boss who I really like and got on with, he was a proper people person and we all did well in the workshop.
Because he was so good, he was transferred to another division to put out fires as they say.
The new boss, a younger bloke promoted from within and started working for the company doing a customer facing role.
First thing he did on the first Monday morning meeting was to cut the overtime from time and a half to straight time.
Of course he blamed the upper management and said there was nothing he could do. Getting us in line with the rest of the company branches he said.
We had a Saturday rota, we worked four hours, we did get paid six hours, but now its four.
I told him to take me off the rota as I will not leave my house on a Saturday to work for less than I had been doing.
Not happy, he was fizzing, oh well too bad. But I will not work for less, contact HR if you want and lets meet, I can make it an issue that you want to pay us less, do you want to go there ? Not to mention that we have had pay rises every year (2%) that have amounted to less that what min wage rises have been. So skilled men are getting closer to min wage and unskilled are getting closer to skilled.
Bonus payments, daily targets that are not achievable in most cases.
To get time and a half money you have to do 10 hours overtime before it kicks in and we already work 45 hours a week.
There is more but its pointless in reality.
So, what I did was a bit of research and using government guidelines, I wrote to HR and applied to work a four day week.
This took about three to four months, but they had to find a very good reason not to allow it to happen.
Which they could not do, as I am not doing a job that all the others cant do.
So now I am very close to retirement, working four days a week no real difference in pay.
We have apprentices, who are very behind with their work progress, but they are let loose and then their work is not up to any sort of standard, but they are adults, 21 and 18 years old.
The management want to put our name to their work so as to make us responsible if something happens.
I refused to do it, I have said, what if and they say don't worry.
So now I have just over six months to go.
Quiet quitting as I go.

 

[LCPete]

Good response here, Thanks.
For me I am now quiet quitting my job.
At this point I only work four days a week.
It all started a while ago, got the job from an old boss who I really like and got on with, he was a proper people person and we all did well in the workshop.
Because he was so good, he was transferred to another division to put out fires as they say.
The new boss, a younger bloke promoted from within and started working for the company doing a customer facing role.
First thing he did on the first Monday morning meeting was to cut the overtime from time and a half to straight time.
Of course he blamed the upper management and said there was nothing he could do. Getting us in line with the rest of the company branches he said.
We had a Saturday rota, we worked four hours, we did get paid six hours, but now its four.
I told him to take me off the rota as I will not leave my house on a Saturday to work for less than I had been doing.
Not happy, he was fizzing, oh well too bad. But I will not work for less, contact HR if you want and lets meet, I can make it an issue that you want to pay us less, do you want to go there ? Not to mention that we have had pay rises every year (2%) that have amounted to less that what min wage rises have been. So skilled men are getting closer to min wage and unskilled are getting closer to skilled.
Bonus payments, daily targets that are not achievable in most cases.
To get time and a half money you have to do 10 hours overtime before it kicks in and we already work 45 hours a week.
There is more but its pointless in reality.
So, what I did was a bit of research and using government guidelines, I wrote to HR and applied to work a four day week.
This took about three to four months, but they had to find a very good reason not to allow it to happen.
Which they could not do, as I am not doing a job that all the others cant do.
So now I am very close to retirement, working four days a week no real difference in pay.
We have apprentices, who are very behind with their work progress, but they are let loose and then their work is not up to any sort of standard, but they are adults, 21 and 18 years old.
The management want to put our name to their work so as to make us responsible if something happens.
I refused to do it, I have said, what if and they say don't worry.
So now I have just over six months to go.
Quiet quitting as I go.

Understand how you feel, I also worked in a production environment, semi skilled another guy and myself ran an triple extruder line that made high voltage up to 120 KV power cables
The job itself was ok and we were protected from things like cuts in our overtime rate and conditions because we all belonged to a union, Unite.
For me the issue was just shift work and the constant pressure from management to work overtime, we already worked 45 hours a week on a 4 on 4 off pattern working days and nights
I didn’t feel comfortable doing something like quiet quitting as anything I didn’t do would have to be covered my my work mates, i just retired early and was the best thing I ever did