Last Updated on May 19, 2023
If you are active on social media then the term quiet quitting should not be new, as it has been a trend on some social media platforms like TikTok. Quiet quitting has been said to be a relatively new thing that happens in the business world. However, the term may be relatively new, but the action is not. Especially, the action of quiet quitting a startup.
What is Quiet Quitting?
To understand what quiet quitting is, we must first understand what it is not.
It contains the word “quit,” but this phrase does not mean quitting your job. Nor is it about working half-heartedly or going about your day with a George Costanza attitude. In fact, it’s about seeing your job as a supporting character in the play of your life.
Quitting quietly means working efficiently, completing your assigned tasks, closing your laptop at 5 p.m., and focusing your energy on your non-work life. Work is not a priority in life; it is a means to an end.
Essentially, the phrase is an evolution or paraphrase of work-life balance.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the structure of work, especially in the West, had not evolved significantly since the 1950s. Computers replaced typewriters, and common areas replaced cubicles, but the system of showing up at a physical location for a specified period of time was still the norm.
Then overnight, everything changed.
The business world is far from a consensus understanding of healthy and efficient work. However, the trend hasn’t changed, as a recent survey by McKinney found that 58% of American workers can work remotely in some way.
But for many young workers suddenly plunged into the era of business, where work is just a tap away, quietly quitting is not only a good thing but a necessary one.
In a way, this phenomenon is a response to the pressure remote work unintentionally imposes on professionals working in industries whose primary tools are laptops or phones.
And it makes sense. Why sacrifice extra time on Zoom calls or miss your niece’s birthday just to help someone else make money? However, it is understandable that quiet quitting may mean something different for people in general workplaces.
Read: What are the Top Funding Options for Startup Ventures?
Pros Of Quiet Quitting
Resigning from an activity used to be seen as a sign of weakness and failure. It turned out to be something you have to do if you don’t have any other options. But nowadays, humans are becoming increasingly aware of the dangers of quitting.
Traditional quitting isn’t always the most straightforward act of defiance; it may now be viewed as an act of self-preservation. It is a way of saying “enough is enough,” and it can be carried out in a variety of ways: by resigning in protest, going on strike, or otherwise withdrawing from the system. Resigning can also mean giving up a disliked activity or leaving toxic relationships in order to start over with new people and new places. But quiet quitting is a completely different component.
With those ideas and procedures in mind, quiet quitting may be seen as a fantastic opportunity for a tough two-week notice. Employers can get a sense of where their employees want help and stay ahead of general worker burnout. Of course, quiet quitters can be difficult to spot at first or are no longer interested in changing their mindset under the guise of “establishing healthy boundaries,” but that doesn’t mean they’re a completely misplaced reason for entering the workforce.
Cons Of Quiet Quitting
In a startup, employees are an integral part of the team. You can subscribe longer and rely on dedicated employees to keep the company moving forward. Overtime is considered job security and is welcomed with open arms. But at a time when a new generation is entering the job market, remote work is on the rise, and large-scale layoffs are taking place, employees with such capabilities seem rare.
If you have the wrong type of employee, remote work will only make remote workers feel better. Managers cannot personally see employees’ energy, facial expressions, and body language. Many things can be overlooked.
Quiet Quitting In Startups
“Quiet quitting” a startup is a dangerous thing. Many startups need man-hours to invest, especially in the early stages of building their business. They urgently need employees who are willing to work overtime when deadlines are looming and who are willing to take on assigned responsibilities at any time. Working at a startup requires a special type of person who is there for the long term and who can only rely on workers who practice “quiet mode” for a limited amount of time.
Overtime is the name of the game for business founders. They signed up for this wild ride as if they were shark tank investors themselves (without comfy chairs and tons of cash, of course). The idea of employees reaching that energy level is every founder’s dream, and it’s not impossible to achieve with the right people.
However, It’s important to narrow your expectations and have a clear understanding of each position’s skills, behaviors, and growth options (and how to achieve them). If the founders don’t do this extra work before hiring someone else, they may be left with a more stressed worker than if the founders did all the work themselves. Funny enough, a lot of workers in startups are overworked and burnt out, sometimes, it is due to the workplace culture of not threading carefully with the mental health of their employees. Other times, it is because the employees did not properly evaluate if they are fit for a startup. With these factors, quiet quitting a startup definitely comes to mind, and we have established that no groundbreaking startup needs that.
How To Spot Quiet Quitting
It’s important to recognize the signs that someone is quitting their job. It’s hard to say, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Some are just looking for a change; others need the inspiration to get out of a rut. It is important to support such people.
If you suspect someone is quietly leaving work, there are some red flags that managers need to look out for.
These include:
- Lack of enthusiasm for work or lack of interest in company goals
- Set boundaries early and often.
- Constantly complaining about not receiving enough credit.
- They do the bare minimum and nothing more.
- Extra work becomes a burden.
- They often speak sarcastically about their working conditions.
- Do not assert themselves in team meetings.
- Consistently unhappy with work and responsibilities
What Employees and Founders Want
Many employees want a work-life balance that allows them to stay focused on their passions while dedicating the right amount of time in exchange for their wages. Generation Z is what many find attractive. This is not a new concept, although it is paving the way for new practices.
Employees are often too excited to share their opinions and thoughts because they believe they have little control over what they do and how they do it. The best way for companies to address this issue is to ensure that workers understand their rights at work. Organizations should give employees the opportunity to share their views on their position. This often increases the level of trust and collaboration in the workplace.
As for what the founders want You don’t have to be a career coach to identify the basic needs of your employees, but you do need to understand a startup’s needs before offering them a position they don’t want. Startups need dedicated employees who go above and beyond, as they are emotionally involved in the overall success of the startup.
Beyond work, people aren’t just employees; they’re team members, whether they’re in the office or working from home.
Conclusion
Quiet quitting a startup is not a sort of action anyone can judge a person for. From the above information, it is clear it can be done for a variety of reasons. However, quiet quitting can be harmful to a startup, and the habit of it can only be studied by examining the company’s culture and the employees’ fitness for the job. The examination of this can determine if the employee should avoid working for a startup or if the startup needs to examine how to better its company’s culture.
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