16 people debate the benefits and dangers of the 'quiet quitting' trend.

Hustle culture, grinding yourself into a sleepy pile of bones for your career, staying at the office late, or refusing to take vacation days when you have unlimited PTO are all some standard mindsets employees are just now beginning to question...

What's the point of spinning yourself into a frenzy of stress or wasting your precious youth clocking in and out of a torturous slog? So, when a Reddit user asked, 'What are your thoughts on “Quiet quitting”/“Acting your Wage?' people were ready to debate the benefits and downsides of shamelessly doing the absolute bare minimum that's required of you at work.

1.

It's a bullsh*t corporate term for just doing your job. - darkuen

2.

This whole concept is completely absurd to me. I do realize that in the US you are probably expected to work harder than what you're contractually required to do but for instance here in the Nordic countries most people have always 'acted their wage.' We don't live to work, we do our job and go home to live our lives. - ourstobuild

3.

It’s literally doing exactly what you are hired for and paid to do. The idea that this is in anyways “controversial” is deeply disturbing - Someoneoverthere42

4.

I think it’s great, but not in roles or career paths you truly love. If you’re unhappy or ambivalent about your job and don’t care about where it goes, then sure, quiet quitting is the way to go. But if you are passionate about your job or career path and the issue is you want to move on up and be paid for the growth you give to your role then I’d argue you are a big part of the equation. No, don’t stay if someone refuses to give you a raise or promotion for your work. But at least have that conversation before mentally checking out. - jan11285

5.

I work my a*s off every shift. It's just the way i am. Sometimes, I volunteer extra time (within reason) I want my team to do well. I was rewarded with promotions. I preach work/life balance to my team. I give them extra time off as a token of appreciation when it's quieter. But when it's crunch time, they know everyone is go-go-go. - Deliximus

6.

I agree with those because I did it at my last job when I saw that no matter how much I worked, I was always disrespected, called lazy, used to the maximum and underpaid. Then I decided to be lazy and do the absolute minimum. When the boss started to threaten to fire me, I just never showed up again. Nowadays I have a good paying job where I am respected. - thecompanysociopath

7.

Not everybody wants to move up and run the place. Some of us just want to put in their 40 hours and go home, and as long as I can pay my bills I don't need a promotion. So i'm not putting in extra hours and doing extra tasks that aren't in my job description.

The favor some people are trying to gain from employers is for future promotions or perks. I have no interest in those perks. I can turn down that stuff because I don't work for free. Clock in at 9 clock out at 4:59 having completed all my assigned work whistling as I skip out the door. If they're going to pay me the bare minimum that they can get away with, this is the effort they get. - DetroitsFinest88

8.

The best career advice I got was from a VP who told me '40 hours a week is your job. Anything more than that should be your career.' Now if I put in extra I always think 'What am I learning or proving that will get me to the next level?' - CatieCanNZ

9.

If you're being underpaid, job is shit, no room to progress through the company's ranks then I support it. If you're working for a company with a good salary and excellent opportunities at excelling through the ranks and promotions are at stake. I'd say put your all in it. - kms_ag

10.

I think the pandemic really reset people's priorities. A lot of people were working from home or unemployed, and spent time with their families, or relaxing, or on self improvement. After a couple years of that, we all realized that maybe working those extra hours every day isn't that important. Their jobs kept going on, even though they were putting less effort into them.

I've noticed a big change at my office. If I stay until 5:30, there's only a couple cars left in the parking lot. It used to be busy there until 6 or 7 most days! And the place is pretty empty on Fridays, everyone is 'working from home.' People seem to value their personal time a lot more, and I think it's a good thing. Work to live, don't live to work! - Veritas3333

11.

Worker productivity has been increasing while wages have remained stagnant. Good to see something addressing the problem. - nlray8s1

12.

Why should an employer get more than they pay for? - TalosBeWithYou

13.

As someone who used to bust my a*s and bend over backwards I stopped. Because I was laid off permanently while all the new guys got to keep their jobs because they were “cheaper” and all the promotions I’ve worked my ass off for were all given to outside hires with no experience. So now I look at as “why bother trying?” There’s literally no incentive to try. Raises aren’t different for people who work harder anymore. It’s all based on how long your with the company. - Apex_Gypsy

14.

I resent the term 'quiet quitting', as a person who is protective of their time outside office hours. This doesn't make me a bad employee, it makes me a better one. I'm very good at my job, and am able to do it better than some in fewer hours, and I don't suffer from burn out because I make sure I get time to switch off.

Measure my performance on the work I do, not the time I'm available. This term really is corporations responding to the mass realization that they can't bully and trick 1 person into doing 2 people's jobs any more. - AlterEdward

15.

If you pay me $10 you’ll get a $10 employee - CinnyButta

16.

I was in the Army when a Colonel told me to act my pay grade. Stop doing extra and do what my rank was assigned without the bows and ribbons. Take my lunch, quit working though it. I was worried about things that could wait until the next day. Work you wage. - Potential_Sherbet294