'Quiet quitting' could be hitting the economy - here's why

The so-called "quiet quitting" trend where workers do the basic requirements of a job but refuse to do anything more might be hitting the economy, analysis has found.

Over the last decade, Britons have become less engaged with the jobs they do and are less willing to put in extra effort, according to a Resolution Foundation report.

The thinktank said this could partly help explain the slump in productivity since the pandemic.

"This is self-evidently bad for workers, but it also doesn't bode well for productivity and labour supply, both of which are vital for lifting living standards in the years ahead," said Hannah Slaughter, principal economist at the Resolution Foundation.

Quiet quitting was popularised on social media shortly after the pandemic.

Frustrated by high demands, low pay, and a squeeze in living standards, many online posts said workers should only do what their bosses asked and nothing more.

So you still show up for work, but no more helping out with additional tasks or checking emails outside work hours, instead focusing on work-life balance and "acting your wage".

Yet, far from being just a talking point on TikTok, the Resolution Foundation said the findings in its report were "consistent" with the idea of quiet quitting.