Have you ever noticed an employee taking longer than usual to respond to a straightforward request? Have they become less engaged during team meetings? Or are they allowing others to take on tasks they once enjoyed? If you’ve observed these signs, they might be at risk of “soft quitting” their position.
Soft quitting doesn’t mean an employee is preparing to leave or actively searching for a new role. Instead, it’s a subtle disengagement from work that employers may struggle to pinpoint. If employees don’t feel emotionally engaged or invested in their company, they can become detached from the workplace culture and, as a result, not give 100% to their role. We examine this latest workplace trend, who it affects most and its potential impact on the job market.
Where did soft quitting come from?
In 2021, a similar concept to soft quitting emerged in China, known as “lying flat,” or tang ping. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, lying flat rejects the demanding pressures of fast-paced work culture and instead embraces a minimalist lifestyle and the need for a healthier work-life balance.
In a January 2025 article, Dr Diane Hamilton identified soft quitting as a new and concerning trend in the workplace. She explains that soft quitting can occur without warning for workplace leaders and is likely to go unnoticed until the damage has been done. “This type of disengagement gradually eats away at a company’s culture and productivity in a way that’s harder to fix.” As such, it can be challenging for employers to increase productivity and identify areas for improvement.
Soft quitting and quiet quitting
If you haven’t heard of soft quitting, you might be more familiar with “quiet quitting”. A term coined by life coach Bryan Creely in 2022, which subsequently went viral on TikTok and gained international recognition as a workplace buzzword and trend to watch. Unlike soft quitting, which includes small changes in behaviour and potentially over a longer period, quiet quitting is a conscious decision by employees to not go above or beyond their job description.
Similar to the lying flat trend in China, both soft and quiet quitting are post-COVID-19 workplace trends. After fluctuations in hybrid working policies and the impact on mental health, many working professionals value work-life balance over better pay.
While quiet quitting could be seen as rebellion, soft quitting is a more emotive response to a lack of engagement and enthusiasm at work. Its consequences can impact a business’s daily output and contribute to its culture; Dr Hamilton has identified it as more detrimental to an organisation than quiet quitting.
Who is at risk of soft quitting?
As with any emerging workplace trend, such as ‘lazy girl jobs’ or ‘bare minimum Mondays‘, it’s important to consider the demographics of those who resonate with these trends, particularly among viral social media platforms like TikTok. Notably, the majority of TikTok creators are between the ages of 18 and 24, accounting for 52.83% of all users. This group also represents the youngest segment of today’s workforce, Gen Z.
Currently, Gen Z covers the spectrum of 15-29-year-olds. In 2020, the oldest of Gen Z was 24 and likely in the early stages of their career, but for the most part, this generation has worked in a post-pandemic era. The “new normal” that Millennials and Generation X have adopted, including increased flexibility when it comes to working from home, has simply been the norm, or the standard, for Gen Z. A recent survey conducted by McKinsey identified that 77% of Gen Z respondents consider work-life balance crucial when considering job opportunities and research from LinkedIn found that Gen Z is the most likely generation at 72% to consider leaving a job because their employer did not offer a flexible working policy.
There also appears to be significantly less desire among this generation to become managers at work or to place themselves in positions of greater stress for minimal reward. As of March 2023, a survey conducted by Cigna revealed that Gen Z is the most stressed generation, with 98% of workers experiencing symptoms of burnout. This may explain why soft-quitting behaviours are observed as a means of not going above and beyond at work and prioritising other aspects of life.
How soft quitting impacts the job market
In Distinct’s own 2024 annual candidate survey, we found that 70% of respondents are seeking a new job, with 43% doing so passively. This indicates respondents would be open to a new role if the right opportunity presented itself. Additionally, we discovered that work-life balance and flexibility emerged as the most important factors in their ideal workplace; in contrast, career progression and growth ranked third.
What does this reveal about the job market? Working professionals don’t necessarily need to be proactive in their job search to be recognised as potential candidates for a new position. Consequently, employees who fall into the trend of soft quitting may find themselves more engaged with a new role, especially if they believe it aligns better with their priorities and values.
Re-engaging soft quitters
Although hybrid working may not be the right flexibility choice for every business, other solutions exist that can help employees feel appreciated within their company, potentially enhancing their emotional commitment and motivation.
Many businesses conduct employee feedback surveys, yet not all businesses regularly implement employer feedback. Zippia statistics show that 85% of employees take more initiative when they receive feedback in the workplace. While Gallop identifies that employees who receive regular feedback feel more engaged. Feedback doesn’t need to be positive, but it does need to be meaningful and Gallop identifies “fast feedback” as an effective way for managers to communicate efficiently. Fast feedback is characterised as frequent, focussed and future-orientated.
Businesses could also consider engaging employees in projects that align with their passions and interests, such as a corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy. Harvard Business School reported that 90% of employees who work at companies with a strong sense of purpose are more motivated, inspired and loyal. Offering such opportunities would enhance your workplace culture and showcase positive initiatives.
In conclusion, although soft quitting may be the workplace buzzword to watch in 2025, it also relates to broader themes, such as employee burnout, that have been prevalent in workplace culture over recent years. In particular, Gen Z may favour different workplace benefits, potentially leading to behaviours that resemble soft quitting if they feel their employer is not meeting these needs.
To tackle this issue, employers should consider taking proactive measures to engage their employees actively. Cost-effective initiatives could include offering regular and meaningful feedback, organising activities that promote mental health and providing opportunities beyond daily tasks for employees to thrive and enhance the business culture.
Experts in the market
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