Is Quiet Quieting Real ?. Evidence from a Developing Country

Abstract

The phenomenon of Quiet Quitting has been a subject of academic and professional discourse for a considerable period. Although many definitions and justifications for Quiet Quitting have been suggested, no study has systematically been conducted as exploratory research on the actual motivations and behavioural expressions of workers who engage in Quiet Quitting. This study utilises comprehensive qualitative data obtained through interviews, with the participants consisting of a convenience sample of employees and managers currently working in the hospitality industry in Sri Lanka. The data underwent deductive analysis utilising the content analysis method. The findings reveal that the employee's propensity to quit is increasing. The determinants such as work-family conflict, employer branding, employee engagement, organisational culture and values, and employee voice seem dominant, attributing to Quiet Quitting.