Quiet Quitting as a Response to Burnout: Investigating the Psychological Drivers Behind the Trend

The phenomenon of “quiet quitting” has gained significant attention in contemporary organizational discourse, particularly in the post-pandemic era marked by economic uncertainty and evolving workforce expectations. This literature review explores quiet quitting as a psychologically driven, multifaceted response to prolonged workplace stressors, job constraints, and unmet emotional and motivational needs. Anchored in theoretical frameworks such as the Job Demands- Resources model, Conservation of Resources theory, Self-Determination Theory, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory, the review investigates how burnout, emotional exhaustion, perceptions of unfairness, and lack of psychological safety contribute to the passive withdrawal by the employees. Additionally, the review examines how macro-level influences—such as toxic workplace cultures, the Great Resignation, and shifting values among Generation Z—intersect with individual-level factors to exacerbate disengagement. The findings underscore that quiet quitting is not merely a trend popularized by social media or indicator of laziness but a coping mechanism emerging from structural and psychological constraints. This review concludes by offering evidence-based recommendations for organizational leaders to address the root causes of disengagement through cultural, structural, and psychological interventions aimed at fostering resilience, equity, and sustainable engagement in the workplace.