Is Quiet Quitting About Lazy Workers or Setting Boundaries?

You might have heard the term “quiet quitting“ mumbled in meeting rooms recently. You might have also sensed the disdain in the speaker’s voice when the term was used. But what does it mean? Quiet quitting—a concept that has gained popularity among Gen Z workers on social media platforms like TikTok—doesn’t actually involve leaving a position. Instead, it’s seen as a response to “hustle culture“ and widespread burnout. Those taking part in the movement are “quitting“ the concept of going above and beyond at work and declining to do tasks for which they aren’t being paid. The response from business leadership has been predictable. Many feel these employees are lazy, a drain on resources, and shortsightedly sacrificing their careers. However, some experts feel this is the inevitable conclusion of decades of worker exploitation. Ed Zitron, who publishes the labor-focused newsletter