We’ve been deluged with “quiet” workplace trends for the last few years, and it looks like there’s one more to add to the ever-growing list.
Quiet thriving, an off-shoot of quiet quitting, is a new term being used to describe the action of making small efforts to help workers stay engaged at their jobs. Everyone’s extra bit of effort looks different, but the consistency is really what matters in this trend according to experts, and what’s really going to combat the more negative workforce movements that have been happening of late.
“When you’re feeling stuck in your job, and miserable every weekday morning, it’s easy to assume that everything stinks — and will never get better,” writes Shana Lebowitz Gaynor in her new book, “Don’t Call it Quits” as reported by The Washington Post. “This is rarely true.”
Her observation describes the state many workers have found themselves, in which they do the bare minimum as opposed to overworking to keep their jobs while pursuing other, more desirable positions on their own time. Numbers show this sentiment is pervasive among workers, much to employers’ chagrin. A 2022 Gallup poll found that 50% of the US workforce is quiet quitting.
Conversely, quiet thriving is supposedly the answer to feelings of resignation.
The Washington Post’s Ashley Stahl offers tips like “advocating for a cause” or “crafting your job for you” to participate in the quiet thriving trend.
“The concept of job crafting, which was developed by organizational psychologists Amy Wrzesniewski and Jane E. Dutton, encourages employees to “craft” a job that’s more appealing to them, either with the help of a manager or on their own,” the outlet reported. “What part of your job do you want to amplify — such as working on pro bono projects, being on a diversity task force or running focus groups? Maybe there’s something that’s not even part of your job — such as being a resource for new employees or starting an employee newsletter — that would make your days feel more meaningful.”
Are you planning to be a quiet thriver this year?