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Charlotte Talks With Mike Collins

Quiet quitting and the state of the American workplace

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Mike Burns

Editor's note: this episode originally aired Sept. 7, 2022.

In recent months, managers and workers across generations have been sharing articles about quiet quitting. The exact definition changes depending on who you ask, but it should be noted that quiet quitting has nothing to do with actually quitting a job. It is more of a pushback against the culture of grinding out a workday.

The phrase became especially popular among Gen Z, the youngest people in the workforce. Some say they do not see a reason to burn themselves out at work. They want balance. They do their job, but don’t think life should be about staying late at a job or going beyond what a boss asks of you.

Quiet quitting has been described as a byproduct of remote work and the Great Resignation. With people out of the office, they may feel less connected or part of a team. However, others say quiet quitting is nothing new. Workers have been doing this for years. It’s only been redefined.

On the next Charlotte Talks, we look at the origins of quiet quitting, discuss whether it is a misnomer and explore how to improve the workplace.

GUESTS:

Ashley Herd, founder of Manager Method

Juliana Horowitz, associate director of social trends research at Pew Research Center

Karla Miller, workplace columnist at the Washington Post

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Gabe Altieri is a Senior Producer for Charlotte Talks with Mike Collins. Prior to joining WFAE in 2022, he worked for WSKG Public Media in Binghamton, New York.