For a few years now, new trends that start with the word "Quiet" have been haunting the job market. After "Quiet Quitting" and "Quiet Firing", the current trend is "Quiet Vacationing". It describes the assumption that more and more employees are taking time off without official approval, for example by simulating their presence with the help of certain tools when working remotely.
Such phenomena are always a welcome opportunity to fuel the much-discussed debate about the work ethic of younger generations. However, this is not primarily about the specific phenomena or the work ethic of Gen Z. What is more interesting about this topic is the question of whether such trends provide an indication of general changes and transformation in the world of work? One could assume that employees are increasingly striving for a more meaningful work-life balance and that this is reflected in their loyalty to the company and the value they attach to their work.
JUST A TREND?
The trends described mostly come from the USA and cannot be transferred one-to-one to conditions in Germany. In mid-2023, the Institute for Employment Research at the Federal Employment Agency conducted a study on the topic of "quiet quitting", with a perhaps surprising result. There is currently no evidence of a negative trend in either commitment or loyalty to the company. Such a trend was still evident before the coronavirus pandemic. Now, however, it is actually reversing.
On the one hand, this proves that the "quiet quitting" trend does not exist in the dramatic form in which it is often described. On the other hand, it is nevertheless an indication of social change processes in the perception of a modern working world.
QUIET WHAT?
So there seems to be a clear discrepancy between the mood and the facts. This is also shown by the figures on working hours in Germany. In 2023, this amounted to around 55 billion hours, the highest figure since reunification. It can definitely not be said that people in Germany are working less.
At 1.3 billion, the number of overtime hours worked is below the previous year's level. However, 775 million of these hours are unpaid, the highest figure since 2016. Do these facts indicate a trend towards "quiet underpaying"? Perhaps a social debate on these circumstances would also be appropriate.
The sober figures and statistics do not support the "Quiet Trends" on the German labor market. Nonetheless, it is important to keep a close eye on social developments in attitudes towards work and loyalty to the company in order to be able to react appropriately.
Sources:
All images from Freepik
Study by the Institute for Employment Research of the Federal Employment Agency
