What Is Quiet Quitting – Meaning & Origins
Quiet quitting is the practice of an employee doing the bare minimum required to fulfil their job description and nothing more.
There’s no actual resignation. Instead, workers stop volunteering for extra tasks, overtime, or out-of-hours calls, and simply meet the basic expectations of their job – in other words, quit quietly.
The phrase doesn’t mean quitting a job; it means quietly opting out of “hustle culture” and refusing to go above and beyond for no extra reward.
Quiet Quitting – Evolution
While the phrase is new, the concept is not. Quiet quitting is a modern rebrand of older labour tactics like “work-to-rule,” a form of industrial action where employees adhere to every rule and procedure to slow down productivity.
The term shot to fame in 2022 after a TikTok video went viral, particularly among Gen Z, describing “quitting the idea of going above and beyond” as a healthy way to set boundaries at work. The term ‘quiet quitting’ itself is supposed to have originated from a Business Insider article published in 2022. (Source: Business Insider)
It became so popular that Collins Dictionary listed it among its top words of the year. (Source: Collins Dictionary)
Globally, it also mirrors movements like China’s “lying flat” (tǎng píng), which emerged in response to intense work pressures and a feeling of stagnation among young people (Source: Wikipedia)
Quiet Quitting – Stats and Insights
The quiet quitting phenomenon is particularly pronounced in the UK, where it’s linked to a widespread decline in employee engagement.
- According to a Gallup report, only 10% of UK workers are actively engaged in their jobs. This massive disengagement carries a heavy economic cost, estimated to be around £257 billion annually for the UK economy (Source: Gallup).
- Further data from a London School of Economics (LSE) study provides a quantitative look at the trend. Their research found that between 2020 and 2022, UK workers effectively lost 55.1 million discretionary hours per year. (Source: London School of Economics)
- This loss was most significant among the “laptop class”—younger, degree-educated workers—who consciously reduced their working hours.
- A separate survey by Cognassist supports this, revealing that 19% of UK employees admit to quiet quitting, with that figure rising to 28% among Gen Z (Source: Cognassist).
- In frontline jobs like retail, manufacturing, and hospitality, 21% of workers say they only do the bare minimum. In manufacturing, over half of staff report doing only what’s required, with many intending to stay in these jobs long term. (Source: getflip.com).
- Economically, the cost is massive. Gallup estimates that low engagement costs the global economy about 9% of GDP in lost productivity, and the UK, with its low engagement, is hit especially hard (Source: Gallup).
Key Drivers Behind the Quiet Quitting Trend
Several factors are fuelling the rise of quiet quitting in the UK:
- Burnout and Mental Health: The demanding work culture and the blurring of lines between work and home during the pandemic led to high rates of burnout. A 2023 CIPD report found that 60% of UK employees had experienced burnout, making them more likely to disengage to protect their well-being (Source: CIPD).
- Poor Leadership and Under-recognition: Employees often feel underappreciated for going above and beyond. The Cognassist survey revealed that 74% of UK employees feel their skills are underutilised, and many feel their hard work isn’t met with adequate pay, career progression, or recognition.
- Promoting Flexible Working: As of April 2024, all UK employees have the legal right to request flexible working from day one. This shift is crucial, as a CIPD report highlighted that over one million UK workers have quit their jobs due to a lack of flexibility (Source: CIPD)
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Disclaimer: All the information provided was correct at the time of publication (September 2025) and was collected with the help of accredited tools and AI.
