What is Quiet Quitting?

Quiet quitting describes the phenomenon of employees psychologically disengaging from their work while remaining physically present — performing their basic job duties but withdrawing all discretionary effort, enthusiasm, and initiative. The term gained widespread attention in 2022, though the underlying behavior — sometimes called "coasting" or "checked out" — has been recognized by organizational psychologists for decades under the concept of active disengagement.

Quiet quitting exists on a spectrum. At one end are employees who are setting healthy boundaries — refusing to answer emails at midnight or work through weekends — which is a reasonable response to unrealistic expectations. At the other end are employees who have emotionally checked out entirely — doing the bare minimum, showing no initiative, and mentally preparing for their eventual departure. Understanding where an individual falls on this spectrum requires context about both their behavior and the work conditions that produced it.

The drivers of quiet quitting mirror the drivers of disengagement: feeling undervalued, lack of growth opportunities, poor management, burnout from sustained overwork, broken promises, and misalignment between personal values and organizational direction. The behavior is particularly prevalent among employees who feel they have given discretionary effort in the past without adequate recognition or reciprocity — creating a sense that extra effort is not worth the investment. Addressing quiet quitting requires organizations to examine what they are offering in return for the commitment they expect.

Quiet quitting represents a massive productivity and innovation drain because it affects employees who are present but not performing at their potential. Gallup estimates that at least 50% of the U.S. workforce could be categorized as quiet quitting. The phenomenon is a signal that organizations are failing to create conditions that inspire discretionary effort. For HR leaders, detecting quiet quitting through engagement data and addressing its root causes — rather than blaming individual employees — is essential for rebuilding the psychological contract between employers and their workforce.