Quiet Quitting, a Guide to Getting Out Clean

It’s been 6 months since you started a new job and while it was exciting and fun at first, you are gradually starting to realize this may not be the right fit for you. Unappreciated work, co-worker morale is low and Mitchell from accounting is beginning to make too many visits to your office on his breaks. Time isn’t slowing down and each day spent on indecision is a day wasted not doing what you’re passionate about. So, you now make the conscious decision to quit, now what? Well, there are some things to think about before quitting, such as salary, benefits, your next role’s availability and how the brief period of time at this company may impact you in your next role. All of which are valid points to ponder on. Look, we’ve all been there before, but when a job just isn’t cutting it anymore and you’re just there for a paycheck, it’s time to get out. Hence the term, “quiet quitting”, an HR department’s worst nightmare.

This term was coined late last year after a mass exodus of employees from all sectors began putting in their 2-weeks’ notice and doing the bare minimum of work in their final days. It’s definitely a generational thing, more and more employees are discovering their self-worth and not compromising on better more lucrative opportunities at other firms or companies. Before going any further let’s emphasize one crucial factor about quiet quitting, which is making sure you ALREADY HAVE ANOTHER JOB LINED UP (read that again). Do not quit your job before having another one lined up and ready to go, with inflation on the rise and rent prices surging across the board, do not take any chances on quitting a role before having another form of income lined up. Trust us, few can afford to be liquid at this juncture. Once you have narrowed in on a new position, did your interviews and signed your paperwork and have a confirmed start date, then it’s time to put in your 2 weeks’ notice. Keeping that in mind, the art of quiet quitting is also associated with doing the bare minimum and essentially just going through the motions until your last day. Despite this sentiment, it becomes a mental challenge for some to switch off their work ethic, but even harder to turn it back on. The point is, DO YOUR JOB until you start your next position. Leave with a good reference and always enshrine your reputation, no matter what role you’re in.

Leaving on a high note is always better than being remembered as the person who left an entire months’ worth of work behind for the next employee to clean up. That being said, don’t go completely out of your way to take on more tasks than you usually would, it’s not necessary. Keep your routine going, come to work on time, leave when the day is over and keep yourself productive. By doing these simple and routine tasks, you’ll always be looked upon favorably and maintaining your professionalism is never a character flaw. To conclude, the idea of bettering yourself is always the right thing to do, just make sure you don’t dirty yourself in the process. Companies cross network on various platforms, and gossip is still the most pathological form of communication in workplace environments. Strategize, execute your plan and do it without anyone batting an eye, that is the key to actually quitting quietly.