Quiet quitting is a workplace trend where employees meet the bare minimum job requirements without going beyond their assigned duties. Unlike traditional resignations, quiet quitters remain in their roles but disengage from extra tasks, overtime, and non-essential responsibilities. This phenomenon signals a shift in employee attitudes toward work-life balance and job satisfaction.
Why Are Employees Quiet Quitting?
Neha Mirchandani (2022) explains in detail the reason for quiet quitting. The rise of quiet quitting is deeply rooted in workplace challenges such as burnout, lack of recognition, and job dissatisfaction. Some key reasons include:
- Burnout and Mental Fatigue – Overworked employees feel physically and mentally exhausted, leading them to disengage from tasks that extend beyond their core responsibilities.
- Lack of Career Growth – Employees who see limited career advancement opportunities may lose motivation to invest extra effort in their roles.
- Poor Work-Life Balance – A growing emphasis on work-life balance has encouraged employees to set strict boundaries, refusing to work beyond scheduled hours.
- Toxic Workplace Culture – Environments where employees feel undervalued or unheard often result in disengagement and decreased productivity.
- Compensation Mismatch – When employees feel they are underpaid or their efforts are not recognized, they may pull back on additional contributions.
Figure 1 (Towers, 2022)
Is Quiet Quitting a Problem for HR?
Partho Mukherjee (2025) explains the ripple effect of Quiet quitting. For HR professionals, quiet quitting presents a significant challenge. While employees are still technically fulfilling their job descriptions, their lack of engagement can affect overall workplace morale, productivity, and innovation. Some key concerns include:
- Decreased Productivity – Without extra effort from employees, organizations may struggle to meet business goals.
- Higher Turnover Risks – Employees who quietly quit are more likely to leave if better opportunities arise.
- Weakened Team Collaboration – A disengaged workforce may lead to decreased teamwork and communication.
- Customer Satisfaction Issues – Reduced motivation among employees can impact service quality and customer experiences.
What Can HR Do to Address Quiet Quitting?
Sathya Smith (2022) explores how HR can combat quiet quitting. HR leaders must proactively create work environments where employees feel valued and engaged. Here’s how:
- Foster a Healthy Work Culture
- Encourage open communication and listen to employees’ concerns.
- Recognize and reward employee contributions.
- Promote a culture of inclusivity and respect.
- Reevaluate Workloads and Expectations
- Prevent burnout by ensuring reasonable workloads.
- Provide flexibility in work arrangements, such as hybrid or remote options.
- Encourage employees to take breaks and utilize paid time off.
- Enhance Career Development Opportunities
- Offer mentorship programs and career growth initiatives.
- Provide training and upskilling opportunities.
- Create clear paths for promotions and internal mobility.
- Improve Compensation and Benefits
- Conduct salary audits to ensure fair compensation.
- Offer performance-based incentives and bonuses.
- Provide non-monetary benefits like wellness programs and mental health support.
https://youtu.be/cqaXBtgVwwQ
Quiet Quitting in Sri Lanka: A Growing Concern
In Sri Lanka, quiet quitting is becoming a significant issue in various industries, particularly within family-owned businesses and traditional corporate structures, where long working hours and rigid expectations are often the norm. Companies in Sri Lanka, especially smaller businesses, sometimes overlook employee engagement in favor of productivity, which can contribute to quiet quitting. The cultural expectation of workplace loyalty and job security has traditionally kept employees in their roles, but with rising demands for work-life balance, younger generations in Sri Lanka are increasingly adopting the quiet quitting mindset.
For example, Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT), one of the leading telecommunications companies in the country, recently faced challenges related to employee disengagement, where employees felt their efforts were not adequately recognized, and opportunities for career advancement were limited. This led to a growing trend of employees simply completing their job responsibilities without investing extra time or effort into the company’s broader goals (Indeed, 2024).
Furthermore, many Sri Lankan SMEs (small and medium enterprises) lack structured employee development programs, and as a result, employees are more likely to feel stagnant and disengaged. This frustration can result in quiet quitting, with employees performing the minimum required tasks, but showing no enthusiasm or additional initiative (ResearchGate, 2023).
To address these challenges, Sri Lankan companies can look to examples set by multinational corporations (MNCs) operating in the country, such as Unilever Sri Lanka, which prioritize employee engagement through initiatives like flexible work schedules, mentorship programs, and regular feedback mechanisms. By embracing these practices, Sri Lankan organizations can begin to combat the growing trend of quiet quitting and ensure that their employees are motivated, productive, and committed.
A Wake-Up Call for HR
Quiet quitting is more than just a trend—it’s a wake-up call for HR to rethink employee engagement strategies. Rather than relying solely on financial incentives, organizations must create a workplace where employees feel valued, motivated, and heard. By addressing the root causes of disengagement, HR can turn quiet quitting into a catalyst for positive workplace transformation.
Is quiet quitting a sign of employee empowerment or a failure in leadership? How can HR strike the right balance between expectations and employee well-being? The answers lie in fostering a culture that prioritizes both performance and people.
References
JOBTRAIN, 2022. What is quiet quitting?. [Online]
Available at: https://hub.jobtrain.co.uk/blog/what-is-quiet-quitting
[Accessed 31 March 2025].
Mirchandani, N., 2022. Quiet quitting: It’s the wake-up call employers need. [Online]
Available at: https://hrexecutive.com/quiet-quitting-its-the-wake-up-call-employers-need/
[Accessed 31 March 2025].
Mukherjee, P., 2025. Quiet Quitting: A Wake-Up Call for Employee Engagement. [Online]
Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/quiet-quitting-wake-up-call-employee-engagement-partho-mukherjee-cgdkc/
[Accessed 31 March 2025].
Online, T. I., 2023. Unilever crowned Best Corporate in Sri Lanka for fostering Employee Relations. [Online]
Available at: https://island.lk/unilever-crowned-best-corporate-in-sri-lanka-for-fostering-employee-relations/
[Accessed 31 March 2025].
Indeed (2024) ‘Sri Lanka Telecom PLC Reviews’. [Online]
Available at: https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Sri-Lanka-Telecom-PLC/reviews?fcountry=LK&floc=Colombo&ftopic=mgmt (Accessed: 19 March 2025).
ResearchGate (2023) ‘Human Resource Management Practices and Corporate Entrepreneurship: An Empirical Study in Sri Lankan SMEs’. [Online]
Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/359688758_Human_Resource_Management_Practices_and_Corporate_Entrepreneurship_An_Empirical_Study_in_Sri_Lankan_SMEs (Accessed: 19 March 2025).
Quiet quitting highlights the need for HR to reassess employee engagement and well-being strategies. It’s a wake-up call to create a supportive work culture where employees feel valued, motivated, and connected to the organization’s mission. Looking forward to more insights on how HR can prevent disengagement and foster long-term satisfaction!
Quiet quitting is a growing trend among employees who choose to disengage from their work by only fulfilling the minimum requirements of their jobs. This phenomenon often arises from feelings of dissatisfaction in the workplace, where individuals may feel overwhelmed by their responsibilities or undervalued for their contributions. As a result, they scale back their efforts, opting to complete only the essential tasks without going above and beyond.
Quiet quitting is a wake-up call for HR to improve engagement and work-life balance. Addressing issues like burnout, lack of growth, and recognition is key to retaining motivated employees. By focusing on flexibility, career development, and fair compensation, HR can turn this trend into an opportunity for positive change.
Quiet quitting highlights the growing need for organizations to prioritize employee well-being and job satisfaction. HR must focus on creating a supportive culture, offering career growth opportunities, and ensuring fair compensation to maintain motivation and reduce disengagement.
Quiet quitting is indeed a growing concern in Sri Lanka, especially in traditional and family-owned businesses. Companies that fail to address employee engagement and well-being may face higher turnover rates and decreased productivity. Introducing modern HR practices and strategies that focus on transparency, wellbeing and employee satisfaction can help to mitigate quiet quitting in Sri Lankan workplaces.
Quiet quitting shows the need for better work-life balance and clearer career growth opportunities. Companies should focus on engaging employees beyond just financial rewards.
Great point! Quiet quitting shows how important it is for companies to make employees feel valued and heard. HR can use this as a chance to improve how they support both performance and well-being.
You have interestingly highlighted from this article, how employees disengage by performing only the minimum required tasks, often due to factors like burnout, lack of recognition, and insufficient growth opportunities. The discussion on how organizational culture and leadership styles significantly influence employee engagement levels is great. As you said HRM can implement proactive strategies such as regular feedback mechanisms, offering professional development programs, and promoting a healthy work-life balance to mitigate quiet quitting. By facilitating an environment where employees feel valued and engaged, organizations can enhance retention and overall performance.
Employees are adopting this approach. In today’s fast-paced work environment, burnout and exhaustion have become increasingly common. By setting boundaries and focusing on their core responsibilities, employees are prioritizing their well-being and reclaiming a sense of control over their work-life balance. It’s refreshing to see a shift towards valuing job satisfaction and recognizing that going above and beyond doesn’t always lead to greater fulfillment or recognition. Employers would do well to take note of this trend and consider how they can create a more sustainable and supportive work culture that encourages employee engagement and motivation without sacrificing their mental and physical health.
Quiet quitting refers to employees choosing to do the minimum required in their roles without going above and beyond. It’s not about formally resigning but rather disengaging emotionally or mentally from work while still meeting basic expectations. This incident often arises due to burnout, lack of recognition, poor work-life balance, or limited growth opportunities. Addressing quiet quitting involves creating better communication, offering support, and developing a positive work environment where employees feel valued and motivated to contribute.
Quiet quitting is a really interesting topic, and you’ve explained it well in your blog post. I believe organizations should build a work environment where employees feel appreciated, motivated, and listened to. Thanks for the great insights looking forward to more content like this!
Quite quitting was a prevailed major issue for the Sri Lankan companies in the recent past with the economic crisis. Employees left the country in search of greener pastures even without informing to their closest workers. Although the said trend has now been gradually reduced and with stable economic conditions being built the same will be completely eliminated.
This article reflects underlying issues like burnout and lack of recognition, which can impact productivity and morale. By fostering a positive work culture, offering career growth, and improving compensation, HR can prevent disengagement and boost employee commitment.
Sri Lankan companies often lack a strong work life balance culture due to several key factors: a traditional mindset that values long working hours as a sign of commitment, limited enforcement of labor regulations, and a lack of flexible work policies.