Setting boundaries or quiet quitting?
Many years ago, I worked in a job where the norm was between 60 and 80 hours a week. My personal weekly average was 75 hours.
It wasn’t pretty. And it didn’t end well.
There were two key issues that led to this:
I didn’t set any boundaries around how and when I would work
The organisation didn’t set any positive boundaries, expectations or structure around acceptable behaviour in terms of hours worked – other than rewarding those who worked excessively long hours.
I’d like to think that this wouldn’t happen today, but of course, it still does.
Which is why so many people are quiet quitting.
If you’re unfamiliar with the term, quiet quitting occurs when people disengage from situations or relationships without explicitly vocalising their intentions. It occurs in the workplace when employees no longer go above and beyond their job, often due to stress or overwork.
It’s a concept that has been getting a lot of attention recently. A recent survey by Gallup suggests that around half of American workers are quiet quitters. And if you think this isn’t happening in Australia, you would be wrong.
Quiet quitting should not be mistaken for avoidance or passivity. It requires a deep understanding of personal values and priorities, as well as careful consideration of the potential consequences.
Sometimes, it may involve redirecting one's focus to more fulfilling endeavours and/or gradually withdrawing from draining situations. Quiet quitting acknowledges that not all battles are worth fighting and that preserving your mental and emotional well-being is your priority.
One of the ways we can address quiet quitting is by setting boundaries.
And I don’t only mean the employee. As managers and leaders, we need to recognise that continually asking people to go above and beyond and do more with less is not sustainable. Or fair.
We need to be setting boundaries at work so our people aren’t being pushed to the limit.
Are there ways you can make workloads more sustainable? Provide additional time off when overtime is worked? Demonstrating that acting in higher duties without the equivalent remuneration will be rewarded with an increased opportunity for a promotion?
When employers set parameters and healthy boundaries around what is and isn’t accepted in the workplace, they create a structure so people know what is expected. And this leads to greater trust, as it clarifies responsibilities and expectations.
When organisations fail to understand the importance of boundary setting, they can expect to see increased costs, overwork, stress and burnout.
What can you do to set better boundaries at work?
