In July, a ripple started on TikTok. Users started talking about something called “quiet quitting”, a trend that was popularised by a 24-year-old engineer from New York called Zaid Khan. In a now viral TikTok video, Khan said, “You are still performing your duties, but you are no longer subscribing to the hustle culture mentally that work has to be our life. The reality is, it’s not, and your worth as a person is not defined by your labour.”
Khan’s video sparked, as is the way of the app, a host of homage or copy-cat videos and from there it took flight into wider, traditional media where think-pieces and column inches aplenty were devoted to the concept.
TikTok itself says that 80 per cent of its user base is aged between 16 and 34, a cohort that is largely made up of Gen Z and younger Millennials. By 2025, Gen Z is expected to account for more than 25 per cent of the world’s workforce, and they are very clear that they want to work differently. A 2022 study from Deloitte found that pay isn’t their biggest motivator. Rather, 32 per cent value work/life balance, followed by learning and development opportunities at 29 per cent. Salary is the motivator for just under a quarter of this age group.
Additionally, we already know that many Millennials are checking out of work. Gallup found that only 29 per cent of Millennials feel connected to their job and company, with 16 per cent actively disengaged.
Disengagement and quiet quitting look a lot the same, but to older workers, they might know the trend as a “go slow”. It isn’t a particularly new concept either, but like all recycled trends has had a glow-up for a new generation. Every workforce has a coterie of employees who stick to the job description, and do just enough to get by. Equally, there are always people who go above and beyond, staying late, and volunteering for extra projects and tasks.
We are in a period where many employees are experiencing higher burnout levels than they have ever done before. A Mental Health UK survey from March 2021 found that 46 per cent of UK workers feel “more prone to extreme levels of stress”. So perhaps it is not so surprising that the Quiet Quitting trend has found so much favour with so many workers.
If you’re one of them and feel like the solution lies in a change, then we have three jobs below that are worth a look. Plus, you can find many more on the London Economic Job Board.
International Project Sales, Account Manager, Knight Frank
Knight Frank is the leading independent property consultancy in the UK, offering agency and professional advice across commercial, residential and rural sectors. Established in 1897, it now has a global network of over 400 offices. The International Project Sales, Account Manager role will consist of organising and executing all aspects of an overseas strategy. You will work on all relevant marketing and logistics, client meetings, and internal strategy meetings. You will be expected to achieve additional overseas sales via secondary markets and key introducers. Your responsibilities will include leading developments overseas via exhibitions and targeted events, as well as creating a specific client relationship management program. Find out more here.
Senior Client Success Specialist-Enterprise, Indeed
As a Client Success Specialist you will communicate directly with clients, primarily through email and phone, and work closely with Indeed’s internal sales, product and technical teams to ensure a flawless experience from the beginning. If you are passionate about delivering outstanding, memorable experiences, facilitating creative solutions, and delighting clients at every turn, this is the role for you. You will foster and grow relationships with clients, offer personalised service and support them in their end goal of making hires, managing brand new and existing client accounts, ensuring campaigns are hitting their strategic targets. Additionally you will help clients measure their success and return on investment from Indeed by monitoring and analysing trends. Get the full job spec.
Paid Media Manager, Major Players
Major Players is hiring on behalf of one of the UK’s most ambitious and rapidly growing agencies, which is a genuine force of disruption within the performance marketing space. The Paid Media Manager (Performance Marketing) will work directly with the founder, who has been the strategic marketing mind behind household brands. You’ll be responsible for producing campaign and creative ideas to drive performance and deliver ROAS. You will also be responsible for experimentation and implementation of digital paid marketing campaigns across several key clients, as well as managing some of their day-to-day client relationships. Get all the details.
Discover a new job that’s right for you by searching all the available jobs on the London Economic Job Board today