The loud legal troubles of - Quiet Quitting

• Published date: 11 November 2022
• Subject Matter: Employment and HR, Employee Rights/ Labour Relations
• Law Firm: Bartier Perry
• Author: Ms Hannah Lawson

In the last few months, the labour relations lexicon has expanded to include a fast trending new term; "quiet quitting". First used in a TikTok by a young American engineer called Zaid Khan, the video has been viewed millions of times and has been the subject of conversation globally. As Khan explains in the video, the term refers to the idea of "quitting the idea of going above and beyond", and "no longer subscribing to the hustle culture mentality that work has to be your life" or that you are "defined by your labour".

Of course, employers and employees alike in Australia will be familiar with phrases that evoke the same idea, such as; "bludging", "slacking off", "faffing about", or "chucking a sickie", "taking a smoko" or "shooting off early".

This concept, of working the bare minimum, precisely just to your job description is obviously of concern to employers, who understand that when employees are engaged, invested and committed to their role and the business, the additional effort they give directly results in additional productivity and results.

In this article, we explore the concept behind "quiet quitting" including its surprisingly long cultural and industrial history, what employers can and cannot do if they believe that an employee is "quiet quitting", and some practical steps to consider to proactively mitigate the likelihood of "quitters".

New label, old idea

What many supporters of the recent "quiet quitting" trend fail to acknowledge, and perhaps would be surprised to know, is that the concept is not new or original in the slightest. In addition to bearing strong similarities to popular socio-cultural attitudes towards work in...