A recession could add more fuel to America’s quiet quitting fire

Rather than actually walking off the job, quiet quitting is when workers pull back the time and effort they spend at work. The labor trend picked up steam in fall 2022 as a result of many Americans reevaluating their work-life balance following the pandemic. 

While many workers have embraced the philosophy in an effort to alleviate burnout and anxiety, employers have been less thrilled. But with the current economic uncertainty and potential for a U.S. recession still in the mix, organizations may have to get more comfortable with the idea of a more disengaged workforce. 

“I don’t think quiet quitting is going away in 2023, especially if we’re in a recessionary environment that causes more layoffs,” says Lexi Clarke, Payscale’s vice president of people. When workers are let go, it really increases that burnout potential and workload burdens on those folks who are still there. That can build resentment, especially within organizations where there may not be pay increases or promotions. 

Even if a recession doesn’t happen, the U.S. is still experiencing a high rate of worker turnover that hasn’t stopped following the high water mark reached with the Great Resignation. At least 4 million Americans have quit their jobs every month since July 2021, according to the latest available data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But the constant churn of workers hasn't stopped the economic recovery, which indicates many companies are making do with fewer employees. That means workers who aren't changing jobs, or who aren't shifting as frequently, are typically left trying to manage a growing workload, usually without the help they need.  

​​Over half of those who stayed at their jobs say they’ve taken on more responsibilities, according to a report released in October 2021. About 30% of workers left behind said they struggled to get all of the work done, while nearly as many—27%—reported they felt less loyalty to their employer amid the continuing tumult. 

So really, with or without a recession, the trend around quiet quitting is a reflection of how worker engagement can falter when things like rewards, whether that's a kind of compensation or anything else, don't actually materialize for employees, Clarke says. 

“Quiet quitting is a reaction and a move away, intentionally, from the hustle culture of the past and towards a culture that's more around setting boundaries around work/life balance,” Clarke adds, saying that’s why she doesn’t think quiet quitting is going away. 

In order to really reduce workers’ desire to coast—and relatedly, curtail burnout—employers need to sharpen their focus on how they're engaging employees, she says. That may mean implementing a comprehensive compensation strategy—Payscale finds only about half of organizations currently have one in place—or it could be reevaluating benefits, flexible work models, and even company culture.