Abstract
Quiet quitting, whereby employees limit their effort to the minimum
requirements of their job descriptions, represents an emerging form of voluntary
disengagement that is particularly prevalent amongst Gen Z and Millennial
employees. Despite growing global attention to this phenomenon, limited
research addresses its contributing factors within the South African workplace
context.
Method: This study employed an interpretivist qualitative approach using purposive
and snowball sampling to conduct semi-structured interviews with 12 South
African Gen Z and Millennial employees across various professional sectors. Data
were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis framework.
Results: Three key themes emerged: (1) quiet-quitting behaviours and attitudes,
encompassing withdrawal, minimal effort performance, career transition preparation,
generational work attitudes, and digital distraction; (2) workplace value
misalignment, encompassing inadequate compensation and recognition, limited
growth opportunities, changing generational priorities, and toxic work environments;
and (3) organisational strategies to mitigate quiet quitting, encompassing
workplace culture and voice, detection and intervention, growth and development
opportunities, well-being and work-life balance, and recognition and reward
systems.
Discussion: The study contributes to theory by proposing a generational refinement
of job embeddedness theory and introducing a motivational typology distinguishing
protective and assertive orientations to quiet quitting. The findings
suggest that, within this sample, quiet quitting amongst younger employees
appears to be driven primarily by a perceived misalignment between employee
values and organisational culture and practices, though the transferability of
these patterns to other contexts requires further investigation. To address this,
organisations could consider implementing strategies that foster inclusive cultures,
provide development opportunities, and improve recognition systems. HR
professionals and leaders may use these findings to implement targeted interventions
to reduce disengagement and turnover risk amongst Gen Z and Millennial
employees in South African workplaces.