Forget ‘quiet quitting,’ as ‘loud quitting’ workers are ready to make some noise

Quiet quitting has been in the news in recent months, but loud quitting is a new work/life trend that’s gaining traction this summer. The concept actually has a lot in common with quiet quitting, only it takes a somewhat different approach.

It seems a long time ago that, in the world of work, simply handing in a letter was enough to resign! Today, and especially since the Covid-19 pandemic and all the unprecedented measures it brought about, a whole host of work-related attitudes are being identified within companies.

And they all tend to have one thing in common — quitting — whether it’s about avoiding boredom and the dreaded boreout by changing jobs frequently (known as “quick quitting”) or jumping ship because a job doesn’t align with personal values.

But other forms of quitting do exist. Less radical, they are characterized by the idea of checking out mentally, but without actually physically leaving a job. This is particularly true of “quiet quitting” or “acting your wage,” which involves stepping back from your work while remaining in the job while doing the bare minimum required.

In recent months, a new trend has been emerging, called loud quitting. The idea is to make it known loud and clear, and to anyone who will listen, everything you don’t like about your job — the working conditions, salary or management style, for example.

The hashtag dedicated to the trend on the TikTok social network reflects the rise of interest in this approach, with almost 10 million views and counting.

At first glance, loud quitting seems to be the opposite of quiet quitting. Yet, its ultimate aim is the same — to quit a job. Unless, of course, pointing out what’s wrong can lead to positive change, such as a promotion or a pay rise.

If you don’t really want to leave your job, it’s best to make sure you’ve got yourself covered by surrounding yourself with allies in the workplace, and preparing a good pitch (based on your skills, your strengths within the team and your past successes) before entering into a tug-of-war with your superiors.

Otherwise, spreading rumors, bad-mouthing the company, or even creating a tense atmosphere within the team, could not only fail to see your demands met, but also backfire! And this applies just as much to loud quitting as it does to quiet quitting…

It’s no coincidence that quitting trends are on the rise in the world of work. In the US, the proportion of workers who are actively disengaged from their work is estimated to have risen to 18% in the second quarter of 2022, according to estimations by the US analysis and consulting firm, Gallup.

This disengagement is linked in particular to expectations that go far beyond salary claims, such as the prospect of learning and developing within a company, as well as being recognized by management.

According to Gallup’s analysis, companies in which these criteria are not taken into account could experience “a growing disconnect between employees and their employers.” In fact, “most employees who are not engaged or actively disengaged are already looking for another job,” concludes the report.

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