Surprisingly, the ‘silent resignation’ has nevertheless become a real phenomenon. We explain to you.
Quiet quitting, what is it?
A few months ago, the ‘big resignation‘ had made a name for himself. An ideal expression to qualify the situation of the American labor market during 2021. In the United States, faced with the Covid crisis, a growing number of workers had chosen to voluntarily leave their post. In France the phenomenon had not found a comparable echo… before we became interested in ‘quiet quitting’ – ‘silent quitting’ in French – or ‘silent quitting’. Kezako? Appeared on TikTok at the end of 2022, became a real trend, the quiet quitting means the fact ofdo the bare minimum at work, the reflection of an unexpressed wish to resign. In summary, followers of quiet quitting are physically present at work, but psychologically are no longer there.
Figures for quiet quitting in France
37% of respondents* declare that they adhere to quiet quitting either by “(Remain) stricto sensu within the framework of their employment contract, (refuse) overtime and any tasks that would not fall within their mission”. The reason for such detachment? For 54% of French people* surveyed in October 2022 by Ifop, work is above all a constraint rather than a source of fulfillment
Why do young French people quit?
What questions with this trend? Several things, in particular the fact that by encouraging followers to film themselves doing nothing at work, he advocates the fact of work less to feel better. Especially the quiet quitting mainly concerns the youngest (those who are fond of TikTok where the trend was born). Even as they start working life, young people refuse overtime, solicitations outside their working hours, and the overload of responsibilities that do not correspond to the framework of their position.
Quiet quitting and mental health
But adhere to the trend quiet quitting may reveal something else. For the followers, it is first a question of finding a better work-life balance. A desire surely motivated by the health crisis which has both made you want to enjoy your loved ones more and at the same time allowed you to taste more well-being (especially when confinement has resulted in a reduction in transport time) … Beyond that, opinions differ. For some, this quest highlights the feeling of ill-being at work that young working people seem to feel and leads them to question the impact of the phenomenon on mental health. For others, the quiet quitting is simply sticking to the terms of your employment contract to enjoy life… and that has nothing to do with quitting!
*Source: The French and Work – 7 key figures in 2022 (IFOP survey), Les Makers, October 20, 2022
