Coming back from a long hiatus, it had been a good 7 months since I last read an article that resonated with most youths at work. Recently, there was a rising trend of “lying flat” that out-roared in China, which was shockingly surprising as the “hustle mindset” was strongly ingrained amongst the youths.
As the major economies are expanding, striving to stay relevant is of utmost importance, which is to increase productivity and reduce lag time. Coming across an “anti-work” movement is unheard of when one is born into one of the biggest economies in the world where it promotes work more than anything else.
Living in a highly competitive society, cultivating a perspective where your peers are constantly outperforming one another to gain recognition at work, and driving more hours effectively at work could be one of the many enablers to reaching the invisible finishing line.
While the “996” (formerly known as working from 9 am to 9 pm, 6 days a week) culture is prevalent across many workplaces, many jobs are put on the line if employees are not willing to stretch their hours to meet work expectations.
As there are unspoken rules that encourage overtime (“OT”) work in workplaces, it was not monetarily incentivized because of failing to meet certain contractual obligations.
Notwithstanding that work performance evaluation comes into play, being proactive at work could mean that one can foresee themselves being available around the clock to perform work obligations.
When the pandemic hit the globe in a storm, a visible rise in the inflation rate drove tight competition across many sectors, casting terrible spells through massive layoffs to reduce overhead expenses.
A change in work arrangement became contingent on sustaining high-growth sectors, which then introduced remote working. It became mandatory to contain the viral spread and kept most employees safe in their cubicle work spaces for an extended period.
In spite of some employees suffering from losses of livelihoods, many appeared to relish the flexibility of remote work, and some even enjoyed working with minimal supervision, where they could pursue their interests as well. With more pockets of time regained from meaningless commuting, many could squeeze in extra hours of “me” time to fulfill their obligations.
Given the downtime away from stressful work environments, many evaluated their life priorities and purposes towards embracing work as opposed to their ideal lifestyle.
In some cases, the newfound time may lead to higher work productivity, but for others, it may lead to an exciting and fulfilling work routine that is the complete opposite, yet could be just as enriching.
Besides discovering employees’ newfound work preferences, the idea of “quiet quitting” came to light through various social media platforms when one loses the intention to be in the present or to work towards an “imaginary” goal that can only be achieved by working hard.
Being disengaged at work may be relative to working remotely, but it was uncertain to be the main cause of changing one’s ideology of working as part of their lifestyle.
Though it has occurred in the past, it resurfaced amongst youths who are entering the workforce or already working.
Despite the rising opportunities for “hustlers” to showcase themselves, it presented a different set of game rules for “quiet quitters” who only wanted to meet the bare minimum to avoid retrenchments.
As someone who has friends who are “quiet quitters”, there are perhaps a few reasons that have driven them to become one.
1. Not worth the hassle/grind
Grooving through the work-life thinking about achieving the 5 “Cs” (to be famously known for Cash, Credit Card, Car, Condominium, and Country club membership), which is the typical Singaporean dream, it could be a focal point to keep one in their job. The pursuit of material wealth is not uncommon among Singaporeans, where overachievers often display it as a symbol of status in many forms.
As a result of the heavy emphasis on meritocracy, it rewards those who excel at work for their hard work and commitment, which often means driving long, arduous, and excruciating work hours.
Being in an undisputed, infamous country often voted as one of the few countries having an overworked population, one is always either on the hamster wheel during a heyday or on chopping boards during a recession. For the ones who are neither over nor underperforming at work, they may not have resulted in visible breakthroughs to propel ahead of the herds.
Would that have caused a passive reaction from those who have already given their absolute best for work?
Conversely, when someone is comfortable and content with their current lifestyle and trajectory, sacrificing more hours to the rat race and climbing the corporate ladder may appear less appealing, which can easily be replaced with a diminished intrinsic drive to work beyond their own limits.
2. Shifting priorities to meet/pursue the current lifestyle/passion outside work
Being a young and budding professional with limited commitments, one can afford to invest a little more time learning the ropes and gaining exposure to more work. However, the course of one’s life can change when one becomes a parent or when someone in one’s family falls ill.
Learning that prioritizing family commitments overwork could be so much easier than compared to the other way around, is also often one of the main reasons to limit one’s potential or commitment to work.
Thus, for many people, performing mandatory duties at work can suffice to avoid layoffs, and work becomes a secondary concern.
On the flip side, while there is little or no prejudice against people who wants to pursue their passion after work hours nowadays, it could be seen as a big career blockage for employees who still values career progression.
The less one aspires to go “above and beyond” for their career, the more likely they are to be less favored at work or continually labeled as “passing time.”
Even if one prioritized their hobbies over work, they could have planned their life trajectory to be a “more life, less work” manner, which is equally respectable as well.
3. Employees tend to value flexibility and purpose at work
In the recent shift in work arrangements, it was nominally reported that the younger employees value flexibility for work. Older folks may appear to enjoy such arrangements as well, especially when they had been in the grind for a large part of their adulthood. They can be able to make time to care for their personal needs, which can be a great boost to their professional lives.
Most Asian organizations, contrary to popular belief, have historically been reluctant to accept workers performing personal errands, but remote working has expanded to make it seem integral to an organization that values its employees’ well-being and welfare. If the firms opt to stay status quo, it can be a deal breaker for employees who are looking for better company benefits.
Apart from working from the comforts of our homes, aligning with a company’s values can be challenging, as more people are seeking job fulfillment and a purpose where they can serve. Being in an “employees’ market” would indefinitely allow us to indulge in such fantasy, crafting our path to finding our dream job.
Though we do not deny that a big part of the reason for working is towards paying our bills, others may decide to take time off to slow down and appreciate the world a little more.
Thus, the phenomenon can drive more people to divert their attention subtly from work if they stay in their job.
4. Working in a competitive and toxic work environment
With a thriving economy, it produces stellar companies that are driving crazy revenues with the help of some of the most talented and hardworking individuals.
Anything apart from work has not been treated of the same importance as answering clients’ queries, rushing tight deadlines, and expecting waves of tasks streaming in before the commencement of a new workweek. It was almost expected of the employees to be in their fullest attention to stay engaged at their peak performance.
Apart from having high-performing individuals standing out, a mismatch in expectations amongst the management and staff is inevitable, resulting in cultivating an environment for unethical work behaviors.
Persistent miscommunication issues, understaffing, and mistreatment at work could put on further pressure on employees who are already struggling to perform at work.
The tone from the top plays a key role in establishing work culture, which is usually a catalyst to spark competition amongst workers who are more driven, high performing, and striving to make a decent living out of their sole income generator.
While some might argue that it only happens in some of the top institutions, we cannot rule out the fact that high growth or exceptional start-ups are more prevalent in such issues.
Consequently, one who cannot keep up with such treatment might opt to forego it.
5. Burnout has taken things way out of control
Going into office with a fully committed heart is a good way to start your career, but maintaining it can be challenging. If one does not cope with it, burning out can have a detrimental impact on their performance at work.
While striving to be visible at work, one can wish to be highly productive and efficient, from exceeding expectations to outperforming peers in their department. Going beyond their means encourages management to delegate more responsibilities to them.
However, when one struggles to handle more workload, it could lead to them being obligated to spend more time on it. As it goes beyond one’s control, anxiety may build up from piling emails and missing deadlines becomes an excuse for coping with little rest.
Eventually, in order to function independently, one can no longer keep up with the fast-paced nature and meet the bare minimum standard of work to attain relief. Therefore, it is at no fault that one choosing to slow down is a means to promote a poor career move. It could be a quick but temporary fix to a damaged body.
While I am a strong believer in staying accountable when given responsibilities at work, “quiet quitting” could be a “great liberation” in response to the “Great Resignation.”
As more people are rejecting overwork and burnout to choose balance and joy, they are establishing boundaries to maintain their momentum in carrying out essential duties at work. As opposed to being a windmill that is constantly on the move, employees that exhibit such behavior may not be highly valued.
On contrary, one’s identity and self-value should not be tied to their work productivity. Though I am all-in for the grind, we have to realize that not everyone wants to progress faster, rise higher on the corporate ladder, or earn more material wealth in their career.
At times, all they wanted is to be content, live within their means, focus on their family, and be present in the things they love doing. If they aspire to work for a different reason, there is no way anyone can stop them from prioritizing their lives over their careers. Not everyone is subscribed to the almost unattainable “Singaporean dream” that the previous generations are raving about.
While employers value productivity and profitability, employees tend to value the comfort that comes in exchange for their time and efforts. Thus, if the work is ultimately not making you or stopping you from being happy, make that change to walk away from it.
Stop being a “quiet quitter” and stay engaged with the things you love doing!
About The Author:
Vince Law is an Accountancy graduate from Singapore Management University, who was also a former auditor from one of the Big 4 accounting firms. He is also a freelance writer who loves challenging mainstream views on current affairs and is a strong advocate of mental health and personal development.
During his free time, he loves exploring new food places around Singapore and takes his food a little too seriously.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me at lawyinkai@gmail.com.
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