Silent resignation is the new institutionalism of the modern age

If you actively use social media channels or follow foreign news sources, you may have seen the concept of 'quiet quitting' somewhere. It means 'quiet quitting', on which various discussions are held, on which the concepts of good-bad, right-unjust, right-wrong, right-wrong are intertwined, and on which many people who are part of corporate life around the world continue to share their opinions.

Quitting here means quitting the job; in other words, 'silent resignation' is used. So, what does this silent quitting mean; quitting your job 'quietly' without anyone hearing or knowing? Actually no; in its most succinct form, it is quitting without quitting your job; 'quiet quitting.' You may have started to have more questions in your mind, you are right. Let's take a closer look at what 'quiet quitting' is and what it is not.

This concept, which received more than 17 million views after being shared on TikTok, has been used by many news sources around the world and is still being used. Because silence has attracted the attention of both employees and employers and large corporate companies. So much so that it has divided the corporate world into two; those who support quiet quitting and those who argue that it is a wrong course of action and way of thinking. In fact, it can be said that it has increased the tension between many managers and employees. Because employers, who are aware of the situation, are also agitated, worried and angry; in short, tension is increasing in the business world.

So, how should we approach this issue? First of all, by remembering that there are two sides to the coin; yes, it is important to establish a work-life balance, but it is also important not to ignore work ethics and to continue to develop. Is quiet quitting just a concept about keeping private life separate from work or is it not so innocent and shallow? Judging by the intensity of the debate, it is not that simple. Because the future of countries, and therefore the future of the world, could be at stake. Maybe this quiet quitting path leads to increased unemployment and dulled minds, who knows...

It has affected everything from our social habits to the way we work, from our priorities to our understanding of health. Consequently, the concept of well-being has become much more important. So, should supporting well-being mean letting things go? There is no doubt that burnout is one of the most serious problems of our age; we can feel exhausted in many areas of our relationships, work life, personal life and daily routines. However, silently waiting for time to pass without doing anything to solve the problems does not benefit us, our work or the people around us. Therefore, silent abandonment may not be recognized as a cure for burnout, especially if work is not the cause of that burnout...

It is important to get to the root of burnout here. Is it really about work or is it about everything that comes with the times? Economic crises, wars, diseases, restrictions, everything that threatens well-being, does it come from work? Is it the job, the employer, or the world we live in today that is really responsible? Therefore, it is essential to work with awareness and urgency; especially in this period when financial difficulties are intensifying worldwide and unemployment is increasing...

How effective do you think these words - have a steady job, have a regular income, pay your insurance, a little bit of food, no pain - are on the new generation? In the past, especially young employees invested all their energy into their jobs to advance in their careers, but what happened today that made them decide to give up and quietly step aside? Could silent resignation be a new generation of work stoppage or the modern strike mentality of Generation Z? Or is it all based on 'so much work for so much money'?

Is it not a rebellion against the employer but against the country, the world, a global outcry? Is it unsatisfying work or money or country or world? The answer could be all of these, but it is debatable whether silent resignation is really the solution.

If you don't think there is a tangible problem, but you still don't feel happy, enthusiastic or motivated about work-related issues and therefore think that 'quiet quitting' is the answer, maybe what you need to do is to take a break to find the real source of your feelings and thoughts. You can ask for time off from work, take some of your annual leave and in the process decide what you really want, why you don't feel good. Maybe all you need is to get away from everyone and everything for a while and just relax.

Finally, if 'quiet quitting' is the last exit for you before you quit your job for good, think instead about actually not quitting your job.