A refresher on quiet quitting.
Following the rise of the great resignation, a new trend called quiet quitting has emerged. Employers perceive quiet quitting as employees doing the bare minimum and avoiding going the extra mile. In reality, quiet quitting simply reflects an employee's desire to do only what they are paid for, which is reasonable. Demanding extra effort without fair compensation is unjust.
The evolution of quiet quitting.
As a response to quiet quitting, employers and their lawyers have coined the term "loud quitting." Employers consider loud quitting to be when employees publicly express dissatisfaction in an attempt to harm the employer. This notion is concerning because employers may interpret public expressions of discontent as malicious.
What is loud quitting?
Loud quitting refers to expressing dissatisfaction with your workplace or employer publicly. Sharing details about your workplace with the public itself is not inherently malicious. Employers might be upset that negative aspects of their workplace are being exposed, but that is not the fault of the employee. In fact, employees often share positive aspects of their work-life through videos on platforms like TikTok or YouTube.
Why do employees resort to loud quitting?
Employers tend to hastily judge employees who speak publicly about their companies, often forgetting that these employees have previously tried engaging with supervisors or human resources to bring about changes. Loud quitting is simply a response to workplace stress, including factors like micromanagement, increased living costs, and feeling unappreciated. For some, loud quitting becomes the last resort to be heard by their employers.
How will employers respond to loud quitters?
As of now, law firms representing employers have noticed the trend of loud quitting. Employers are likely to identify, monitor, and seek legal advice to mitigate associated risks. Apart from the risk of negative publicity, employers also face potential wrongful termination claims when dealing with loud quitters.
How can loud quitters be wrongfully terminated?
Loud quitters can face wrongful termination if they are complaining about a protected activity they participated in or if they report harassment based on protected characteristics. As mentioned earlier, many loud quitters have already lodged complaints with their supervisors or human resources before resorting to public platforms like social media. Certain complaints are protected, and employees may also have protection when using social media for whistleblowing.
Speak up, but change the platform.
It is crucial for employees to understand their right to report illegal activities committed by their employers. However, if you want to strengthen a potential wrongful termination lawsuit, it is advisable to keep these discussions internal within the organization. Documenting all complaints made to supervisors or human resources and creating a paper trail will be beneficial.