Quiet quitting seems to be the latest buzz word in the workplace. The thing is that this is absolutely nothing new. It is showing up to work and doing anywhere from the bare minimum to get by, to getting your job done but with no passion, purpose, enthusiasm, nor going above and beyond. It is simply rebranding disengagement. The difference now may just be that people are doing it consciously versus unconsciously.

We need to eliminate toxic work environments. There are companies that continue to foster unhealthy workplaces, many without even being aware of it. Many employees are feeling discouraged, uninspired, and not valued. Nobody wants to or should have to work with a crappy boss. No one should be chronically overworked or have extreme stress at work that takes its toll physically, mentally, or emotionally. We need to take care of ourselves to be highly productive at work.

There are two sides to this discuss that should be addressed.

Leaders need to:

• truly have the courage to care about their people and have authentic connections
• take responsibility for the culture, their teams, and do all they can to create a positive work environment
• see people as amazing individuals with unique talents rather than human resources
• treat people with dignity, trust them, pay decently, and inspire them to do their best work

Employees need to:

• understand that to quietly quit and do the bare minimum at work is a conscious choice that they are accepting mediocrity from themselves
• see the impact of NOT being the best version of themselves, both short and long term
• take ownership for their own engagement and how they show up in the workplace
• speak up and make changes that are best for them if they are not happy with their boss or the culture. Do not fall into the victim role

There are leaders and companies that are purpose-driven, who truly care about their people, and are doing positive things in the world. Those companies are like a lighthouse, a beacon of hope, that it is possible to have an environment where people are inspired and can thrive. The leaders are proactive in creating a great company culture.

As an employee, when you choose purpose-driven cultures as a requirement in your career choices, the toxic leaders and companies will eventually fall away because no one will want to be in those environments anymore.

Regardless of your position, don’t settle for mediocrity with this quiet quitting trend; choose to be the best you can be and inspire others to do the same through your own actions. That is one of the best ways we’ll get lasting change in the business world!