What is 'loud quitting' and why HR professionals don't recommend it?

Almost 1 in 5 employees engage in loud quitting, according to Gallup’s 2023 State of the Global Workplace Report (Representational image)

The trend of quiet quitting became one of the biggest workplace buzzwords last year, but this year, it seems to have been replaced by its opposite – loud quitting. Loud quitting refers to the trend of employees declaring their resignation on social media, or venting their frustration with their jobs online.

Very often, these employees talk about quitting their jobs on Instagram Live or TikTok in the hopes of going viral. However, HR professionals have warned against the trend of loud quitting. Read on to find out more:

If quiet quitting is about doing the bare minimum at work without taking on extra tasks, loud quitting is all about leaving your job dramatically. Employees who engage in this trend declare their resignation on social media – sometimes before even talking to their bosses one-on-one.

This practice is not an old one, but the term ‘loud quitting’ has seen a rise in popularity only recently. Gallup’s 2023 State of the Global Workplace Report revealed that almost one in five employees engage in loud quitting.

“With the most recent generations being digital natives, it feels natural for many to share this significant life change on social media,” Niki Jorgensen, managing director, client implementation at Insperity in Denver, Colorado, told Fox News.

While it may be cathartic to declare your resignation on public platforms, doing so may have negative repercussions on future employment prospects – so think twice before you engage in loud quitting.

Jorgensen is among the many experts who feel that loud quitting is akin to burning bridges and shows the employee in an unfavourable light.

“Employees should begin having conversations with their managers when they feel they are becoming disengaged and take a more positive approach to make change in the workplace,” said Jorgensen. “When employees actively undermine the company, they are burning the proverbial bridge with the company and its leadership.”

“It’s always best to take the high road as you don’t know if you’ll ever be in a situation where you need a reference, to network for future opportunities or simply a mentor to help you in your career,” agrees Mike Steinitz, senior executive director for Robert Half, according to the New York Post.

It’s also worth noting that we live in a small world, where connections crop up in unexpected ways. In smaller industries, especially, everyone tends to know everyone else – so one person’s negative review at a job can affect their chances of being hired at other companies.