Boss Accuses Employee Of 'Quiet Quitting' For Only Working 40-Hour Weeks & Refusing Overtime
"I always show up. I'm more reliable than death and taxes. On the other side of the coin, I don't usually take extra shifts."
DimaBerlin / Shutterstock As many people in the workforce have begun to protect themselves from burnout and make sure they're being compensated fairly for their work, 'quiet quitting' has become more popular. Quiet quitting is when a person is no longer passionate about their work and begins to give the least effort possible to meet the minimum requirements of the job — you're just there for the check.
While many employees will admit to doing the bare minimum needed to keep their job, one worker took offense after their boss labeled them a quiet quitter.
The employee's boss accused them of 'quiet quitting' after they turned down voluntary overtime.
In a Reddit post, the anonymous employee gave a little insight about their work ethic, using the term "anchor worker."
"I show up during my scheduled shift, on time and unless it's an actual emergency or death in the family, I always show up. I'm more reliable than death and taxes," they wrote. "On the other side of the coin, I don't usually take extra shifts. I do my 40 hours reliably so I don't have to."
While this has worked for the employee so far, they wrote that lately, the company has been understaffed due to “biting off more than they can chew with a contract.”
At first, they tried filling the gaps with temporary employees, but that didn’t work out. They claimed they then reduced the number of workers required for the project and leaned on other employees to pick up extra shifts and work on weekends in order to get the job done. However, that overtime work is voluntary, and the employee noted that thanks to union intervention, the company was not allowed to ask any employees to commit to voluntary overtime shifts.
Suddenly, the boss switched subjects and started to talk about how much he despised ‘quiet quitting.’ The employee wrote that they let him go on about his disdain for the practice before asking, “What does this have to do with me?”
In response, the boss presented the volunary overtime sign-up sheet for overtime, pointing out that the employee's name was not on it, indicating they were only working 40-hour weeks.
People have suggested that the term 'quiet quitting' is intended to make employees feel guilty for doing their jobs as described — no more, no less.
In the Reddit comments, people noted that 'quiet quitting' is nothing more than 'acting your wage' or 'working to rule.' As one person concluded, the notion of doing exactly what you're supposed to do at your job, without slacking off or going above and beyond, is nothing new — it has simply been "rebranded" to "sound like something bad, instead of the legally protected job action it actually is."
According to the Harvard Business Review, it's often difficult for employers to detail the entire scope of responsibilities for many job positions, leaving it to employees to take the initiative to do what they believe is needed to adequately get the job done, even when not expressly stated. However, many workers have come to find that doing so "doesn't usually get you anywhere except for more work."
Instead, quiet quitting should be looked at as what it's more akin to: setting appropriate boundaries with your job.
One commonality among reddit commenters was that the employee was doing nothing wrong by working their scheduled hours and had no obligation to compensate for the company’s bad decisions and lack of planning. While it may be called quiet quitting by definition, as one person noted, "Doing your actual job (no more, no less) should've never been labeled as "quiet quitting." If anything, constantly calling out, being late, and barely doing your tasks should be because it's like you're daring them to fire you."
While the advantages and disadvantages of going "above and beyond" in the workplace can be debated, maintaining healthy boundaries at work should always be prioritized.
NyRee Ausler is a writer from Seattle, Washington, and author of seven books. She covers lifestyle and entertainment and news, as well as navigating the workplace and social issues.