Fortune article referenced above.
Guiding questions: Do you associate the term “quiet quitting” with positive or negative feelings? Why do you think that is? Where did you first learn about “quiet quitting”? Have you heard about “radical rest”? If not, what do you think it means?
In March of 2022, people all over the internet suddenly started talking about “quiet quitting.” Millions of Americans had busted their collective asses for their employers even through the trauma and stress of a global pandemic. And yet, there was no reward at the end of it. Their salaries did not outpace inflation, meaning they were working just as hard for, essentially, a pay cut. Feeling devalued and betrayed by their employers, workers started to push against the expectation to perform “above and beyond” for their employers. Employers had broken the social contract. Without any meaningful power in the workplace, an employee’s only defense was to pull back emotionally and respect his/her own time and self-worth by not engaging in free labor for the organizations that were exploiting them. The movement has gained real momentum. Questionnaire studies revealed that, as of February 2023, at least 50% of the U.S. workforce could be classified as quiet quitters. That’s more than 80 million people.
Employers have the opportunity to extend themselves to meet the needs of employees; mutual respect can be restored by making things more fair for employees. Increasing pay, offering flexibility of remote/hybrid schedules, and creating an inclusive and supportive environment would be great places to start. And yet. If anything, the abuses of employers became more flagrant in 2023. Suddenly, workers were being threatened back into dying office buildings to do work that they had done perfectly well at home. Why would employers erase a system that was health-promoting for its employees, and saved them the time and cost of a daily commute? I have not found a sufficient answer to this question.
Given this context, “radical rest” seems like the next logical step. Dive into the origins of the “radical rest” mindset and movement.
Note that if you search for “Radical rest” you’ll find that it’s also the name of a group that offers free wellness services to BIPOC communities. Neat-o!
There was no definition of “radical rest” on UrbanDictionary as of 7/2/23
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