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    Evolving the Workplace Through Rebellious Trends

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    Over the past few years, we’ve seen a number of workplace trends develop which have taken over the headlines of nearly every career website and blog. Some, like remote and hybrid work, have resulted from the natural evolution of a post-pandemic workplace. Others, like “quiet quitting,” are simply old concepts (employee disengagement) given a catchy new name by TikTok influencers.
    But still, other trends take on a different form – one of rebellion and dissension. Today’s employees have watched the workplace change drastically in a relatively short time, and not always for the better. The current strength of a candidate’s job market and the ubiquity of trending hashtags have emboldened workers to make a few changes of their own, both to their post-pandemic work routine as well as to the way things have always been done.
    As employees continue to push boundaries, employers must now choose their battles as they determine which are really necessary to retain top talent while driving growth and profitability. Let’s look at a few workplace trends that have resulted from dissatisfaction and a desire for change.
    Coffee Badging
    Over the past year, many employers that have allowed employees to work remotely since the start of the pandemic have reversed course, now demanding a return to office. Leading the charge are high-profile companies like Google, Meta, Apple and Microsoft, all extolling the virtues of “coming together” in the office several days a week. However, some employees who have worked from home for over three years are taking issue with the requirement. Their solution? Make a brief appearance in the office just long enough for security badge records to show they were there, then head out. While some may see this as a dishonest method of gaming the system, others view it as a way for employees to take back the leverage they rightfully earned while keeping companies afloat throughout the pandemic.
    Office Peacocking
    Upon witnessing the backlash to RTO mandates, some employers are hoping to quash the rebellion by doing some redecorating. After years of working from the comfort and familiarity of their homes, employees need some extra incentive to reacclimate to an office setting. Forgoing the allure of ping-pong tables and free snacks that workers now consider way too 2010, employers have opted to overhaul their offices, replacing sterile cubicle farms with inspiring décor. These redesigned workspaces prioritize collaboration and comfort through their use of vibrant colors, plants and natural light with the intention of easing employees’ transition from home back to a corporate environment.
    Hush Tripping
    Each year, millions of paid vacation days go unused. Furthermore, when employees do take time off, 29% say they feel guilty for doing so. If only there were a way to take some much-needed time away from work without burning any PTO, all while avoiding the ire of managers and coworkers who are left to cover the workload. For some, the answer is simple – pack up and go, then work remotely while enjoying vacation time that no one needs to know about. After all, as long as work gets done, does it really matter where it gets done? And if it helps prevent a disengaged or burnt-out workforce, all the better. This trend highlights the importance of work-life balance to employees, as well as the need for open communication with managers.
    Resenteeism
    For those who don’t like their jobs, there used to only be two options – keep slugging it out or quit. Now, there’s a custom flavor for every disengaged worker’s palate. For those who are willing to complete their job duties but not go above and beyond, there’s quiet quitting. For those who want to throw a wrench in the system and go out with a bang, there’s loud quitting. But somewhere in between, there are those who are openly dissatisfied with their jobs, but unwilling or unable to make a move due to economic or job security concerns. In fact, due to recent tech layoffs and the spiraling cost of living, both quiet and loud quitters may show signs of resenteeism and stick with their current roles – a distinct departure from the Great Resignation.
    Every few months, the workplace evolves, and the ease with which we’re now able to communicate via social media has accelerated its evolution. Workers haven’t been shy about voicing their concerns and frustrations, and while employers may push back on some issues, they have had little choice but to bend in order to stay competitive. The number of viral workplace trends and hashtags over the past year demonstrates employees’ dissatisfaction and desire for change. And though we’re nearly three years removed from the COVID-19 pandemic, the workforce is caught between settling into old habits and prompting the change that should have occurred years ago. Stay tuned…the next chapter is soon to come.
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      What’s Next For the #Quiet Hashtag Trend?

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      Nearly three years ago, we were introduced to the coronavirus. Now we have quiet quitting. Both are equally tenacious, and just when it seems we’re rid of them, they resurface in different forms. A few months ago, we learned about “quiet firing” and “quick quitting,” the first two variants of the quiet quitting trend. Now, there appears to be a new strain: “quiet constraint.”
      This practice occurs when employees intentionally withhold valuable knowledge that could benefit their colleagues. According to a recent report by Kahoot!, 58% of corporate employees and 77% of Gen Z employees are hoarding information, contributing to a culture of employee disengagement.
      As the #quiet hashtag trend rolls on, where will it stop next? It seems evident that it’s not going away any time soon, and we’ll continue to see clever alliterative terms describing workplace practices that have existed for years. Let’s look at what the future holds as we venture through the silent era.
      #QuietConsternation
      Employees can try withholding information from colleagues, but word will spread quickly. Whether it’s knowledge they acquired through their own work, or information passed on to them by a current or former coworker, others will eventually acquire it too. And when they find out it was intentionally withheld from the team, they won’t be happy. This self-serving attitude will ultimately lead to feelings of animosity and resentment among coworkers, who likely won’t stay quiet for long.
      #QuietConfrontation
      Once managers learn that employees are hoarding knowledge that could benefit the team or company, they will have little choice but to confront them and find out why. After all, workers are paid for their contributions, and failing to contribute is grounds for dismissal. A one-on-one meeting should take place in which managers stress the importance of prioritizing the team over individual interests, hopefully re-engaging workers and communicating the value of a sharing culture. This may result in one of the following two outcomes.
      #QuietCooperation
      Ideally, employees will realize that withholding info to the detriment of the team will work against them in the long run, hindering their chances for recognition, promotion, or future recommendation. As the old clichés go, together everyone achieves more (TEAM), by helping others you help yourself, no man is an island, and so on. Chances are that most employees will realize their mistakes and value their job and relationship with their coworkers enough to correct them going forward. Those who don’t will likely transition out of the department or company, leaving a more cohesive team behind.
      #QuietCapitulation
      There will always be the occasional outliers who will try to overcorrect. Whether out of spite or a genuine attempt to right past wrongs, some employees may start oversharing with coworkers, taking up valuable meeting time and inbox space with an overabundance of info, much of which will prove useless. Aside from the rare nugget of helpful information, this may leave the rest of the team asking, “Can we go back to not sharing?”
      The quiet quitting trend is a genuine phenomenon, breathing new life into old work habits through the use of hashtags and TikTok videos. As tired as we are of hearing about anything “quiet” related to the workplace, we’re continuously reminded that what’s old is new again, and those old habits die hard. Fueled by the perfect storm of shifting workplace norms and viral social media posts, the #quiet hashtag trend goes on and on, reappearing each time we think we have it contained. Hang in there…this storm can’t last forever.
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      Future Workplace Trends and Hashtags

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      I won’t ask you if you’ve heard of “quiet quitting.” I refuse. In the last half of 2022, the trending hashtag started a movement on TikTok that mysteriously went on and on like a bad case of food poisoning. Long after the topic had passed its expiration date, employment bloggers (including this one) continued writing about it, while the rest of the workforce debated whether quiet quitters were valiantly setting work/life boundaries or justifying their poor work ethic.
      A few months later, “quiet firing” began trending, and we learned how the term had been applied to employers who intentionally mistreat or neglect employees in order to prompt them to quit. Now, even “quick quitting” has replaced “job hopping” in the online workplace vernacular. For all the drivel TikTok has churned out, suddenly the platform has become a powerful tool for employees, giving them a voice they’re using to let employers know the tables have turned.
      As we head into the fourth year the world has lived with the coronavirus, the workforce shows no signs of returning to its pre-pandemic state. Regardless of how much some employers would like it to, the job market is too strong, and qualified candidates are in too high demand. But if the past year is any indication, we may very well see more catchy hashtags in the near future. After all, if we can’t control workplace trends, we can at least watch them go viral. Let’s look at a few possibilities.
      #ExtremeExiting
      In 2021, 47 million people quit their jobs in what we now know as the Great Resignation (one of the few trending terms that bores us even more than quiet quitting). Many expected these employees to come rushing back to the workforce in 2022, but it hasn’t happened. Instead, the resignations have continued, and though the pace has slowed, it’s done little to help employers who have faced an uphill battle restaffing their businesses in order to stay productive and profitable over the past two years.
      #HastyHiring
      Many employers are now faced with a difficult decision – hire fast or close up shop. For some businesses, this means relaxing their hiring requirements to accommodate a dwindling candidate pool. For others, it means not being able to provide the level of customer service they have in the past. And for nearly all, it means increased turnover rates as employees job hop their way to a higher income or better incentives offered by other employers desperate to fill roles.
      #RapidRecruiting
      More exiting and more hiring require more recruiting. But there are now nearly twice as many job openings in the U.S. as there are unemployed people, and the old “help wanted” sign doesn’t generate applications like it used to. This is where experienced recruiters and candidate sourcers will continue to prove their value to employers. As the strength of the current job market makes active recruiting (i.e., posting on job boards) less effective, employers will turn to the experts to passively recruit candidates who are currently employed in order to fill roles that once filled themselves.
      #EmployersAwakening
      More and more employers are now realizing what GM recently learned the hard way – try to get employees to return to a pre-pandemic work model and they’ll object…loudly. Insist that they return and watch them run for the door. Employees have been working remotely or hybrid for almost three years now. During that time, they have stayed productive, enjoyed the perks of a commute-free lifestyle, and prioritized work/life balance. Employers are awakening to the fact that the “new norm” is now the old routine, and those who disregard employees’ needs will soon find them working for competitors.
      None of these trends are new (at least not since the pandemic), but then neither is quiet quitting, which was known for years as employee disengagement. Regardless of what happens to the job market in the near future, two facts remain: people will continue to consume news through social media, and catchy, memorable hashtags make it a little more palatable and easier to follow and share. Will the next few months bring an #UnemploymentExodus, a #JobSeekerSurge, a #GreatRestaffing? Keep an eye on trending topics to find out!
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