It is common knowledge that today's young generation, especially Generation Z and Alfa, have a 180-degree different behavior from their parents' age. They tend to prioritize their mental health, rather than catering to the whims of others. They are also more focused on being involved in situations that make them happy at work.
Today's generation is not interested in getting more, if it means sacrificing their precious time. Therefore, don't be surprised if today's workforce is less likely to want to work overtime or engage in work outside of their existing responsibilities.
It is no coincidence, then, that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has made work culture more flexible, today's younger generation also prefers to work with ease of time and the freedom to choose what is best for themselves. From this tendency comes the concept of quiet quitting, the result of a movement of employees who are involved in work protests such as refusing to work overtime, and so on.
Quiet quitting arises not only because of dissatisfaction with the existing workload. It is also a response to a work environment that is considered less supportive of mental well-being and work-life balance. This phenomenon actually highlights the lack of psychological support from the organization, both in the form of career development and appreciation for the efforts that have been made.
Those who have a quiet quitting work concept usually carry out tasks mechanically, according to the job description. No extra effort, no initiative, even avoiding involvement in additional projects. If a staff member is usually active in brainstorming or volunteering for office events, those who are quiet quitting will say, "Sorry, that's outside my job description."
Workers with a quiet quitting attitude only do what is written in the contract. This can be seen from daily interactions. For example, an administrative employee only recapitulates data, without wanting to help other departments, or is reluctant to accept impromptu tasks outside of working hours.
This phenomenon is not just a Gen Z trend, but a reflection of collective exhaustion and the search for meaning in an increasingly demanding world of work that often leaves no room for humanity.
Philosophically, quiet quitting is a contemplative form of silent resistance. It is not a noisy rebellion, but a conscious withdrawal from a system that demands more, without giving enough.
Employees who quietly quit are not lazy, they simply refuse to sacrifice their mental and spiritual health for an ambition they don't believe in. They choose to be fully present, but not immersed in the currents that erode their identity.
In the teachings of Karl Marx, who criticized the capitalist system, workers in capitalist companies are often alienated from their work, from the work process, and from fellow human beings. So when employees only work in moderation, it can be a form of rejection of the system that makes them feel like wheels of production.
Of course, to address this issue, it is important for organizations to increase engagement by creating a work environment that supports the holistic well-being of its employees.
Strategies that can be implemented include providing flexibility at work, building an inclusive and collaborative work culture, and improving communication between superiors and subordinates to ensure that performance expectations and personal needs of employees are aligned.
However, quiet quitting is not just a trend, but a signal. It shows that many workers feel unheard, unappreciated and disconnected from the meaning of their work. Its philosophy is not about laziness, but about the search for meaning and justice in an increasingly mechanistic world of work.
Wise management will not extinguish this silence with the noise of rules, but will listen to it, interpret it, and make it the starting point for a change in work culture.
