What is quiet quitting?

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Over the past several months, the idea of punching the clock and lighting the candle at both ends has slowly burned out. 

Something that many already enforce as boundaries is becoming a growing trend among the working class on TikTok. 

"I would say it is a growing phenomenon," said business analyst Dr. Risa Kumazawa. 

It's called quiet quitting, where people who may not necessarily be ready to throw in the towel but feel fed up with the seemingly unrewarding hustle culture of the workforce are no longer going that extra mile to impress their bosses.

"I definitely have said no to a lot of things that cross boundaries in terms of pushing me to my limit," said Mary Kate Kahl from Cleveland. "I just think a lot of people ask too much also because they don't have enough employees. I'm on my way to a job interview right now. They're desperate. They need me."

Business experts believe the trend was born out of the pandemic when many people were forced into remote work situations and made to wonder: Was the standard 9 to 5 work model they previously subscribed to really sustainable?

"I think people just want to be valued," Kumazawa said. "And so there needs to probably be more communication between workers and their employers."

Plus, knowing that there are plenty of other job opportunities out there might not exactly make you want to fight for the job you already have.

"This has something to do with the great resignation as well," said Kumazawa. "The fact that the labor market is doing well, and the fact there is lots of opportunities out there if you choose to quit your job and go elsewhere."

We reached out to a therapist too to see if there's any mental health benefit to dialing back. At first, sure. But long term, you probably aren't actually addressing the issues at hand to improve your working conditions. 

So there are some obvious personal and mental health benefits to putting your foot down at work, but before you get carried away, experts do warn taking things to the extreme could come with some consequences.

"When the economy goes sour, which could happen, because we've already had two quarters of negative growth in the GDP, you might be the first to go," Kumazawa said. 

"When you're looking at teams and teamwork, somebody else is going to have to pick up that slack. So it does affect other people."

Regardless, experts believe some of the shift in what's considered good work ethic and what's not is generational, with Gen Z being more dialed into the importance of work-life balance.

And since the future of the workforce is in their hands, perhaps now might be the time for employers to start listening and consider making some necessary changes.