What is ‘quiet quitting’ among employees and why is it dangerous?

Just a couple of decades ago, work was considered not a means of self-fulfilment, but a paid obligation. If you don't like it, put up with it; if you're tired, rest on the weekend. Employees silently bore their burden, and businesses had no intention of noticing their inner state. But those days are gone: the concept of finding meaning in work has become firmly established in the collective consciousness, and human well-being has come to be seen as inextricably linked to what a person does in life.

This new reality requires managers to be able to diagnose not only the results of work, but also the internal state of the team. At the same time, even silence and outward calm in the team are not always a sign of order. Sometimes they hide a new threat — ‘quiet breakdown’.

What is ‘quiet breakdown’?

‘Quiet breakdown’ is a form of professional crisis in which an employee outwardly continues to perform their duties despite fatigue and stress, but internally loses all connection with their work. The employee does not quit abruptly, but their desire to leave grows, and their potential for the company gradually disappears.

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One survey respondent described the symptoms of ‘quiet breakdown’ as follows: "A huge lack of motivation, fatigue. A constant feeling that you are not being heard, seen or supported." Tasks that used to give you strength now seem meaningless. You can't remember the last time you felt enthusiastic about your work. Your drive disappears, and with it the energy that allows you to move forward.

A study by the consulting company Talent LMS showed that more than half of employees experience ‘quiet breakdown’ to some extent. At the same time, most of them continue to meet deadlines and achieve KPIs — the problem remains invisible to management until it leads to failure or dismissal.

Why employees experience ‘quiet breakdowns’

‘Quiet breakdowns’ do not occur out of nowhere. Here are the key reasons that create the ideal conditions for this state.

Sometimes the reason lies in the initial mismatch between the person and their role. For example, when they go into IT or marketing just because it's trendy, but never thought, ‘Am I really interested in this?’ A career chosen for the external attributes of success rather than an internal interest in the process inevitably leads to an existential rift.

Endless routine. Even a beloved job can become a source of crisis. From experience, at first — for six months, a year, sometimes three years — ‘everything is exciting, everything is interesting.’ But then work turns into a ‘hamster wheel’ where every day is the same.

In conditions of monotony, the brain stops producing enough dopamine, as this neurotransmitter is stimulated by novelty and the achievement of goals, not by monotonous actions.

Anxiety about AI. Daniel Susskind, in his book The Future Without Work: Technology, Automation and Whether We Should Fear Them, accurately noted: ‘Every invention becomes a threat to a certain group of people.’ For example, the printing press was met with resistance from scribes, who claimed that ‘only the devil himself could produce so many copies of a book so quickly.’

What are the consequences of ‘quiet quitting’ for businesses and employees?

‘Quiet quitting’ affects both sides: businesses lose efficiency and innovative potential, while employees lose motivation and resilience. Let's take a closer look.

Consequences for business. The effect of ‘present absence’ — when an employee is physically present at the workplace but mentally disconnected from the processes — leads to a decrease in performance over time. According to a Gallup study, the annual loss to the global economy from a lack of employee engagement is estimated at $8.8 trillion.