"Quiet Quitting" - it's nothing new.

[Alien826]

I suspect that term came from a lazy person who just didn't want to try hard enough to advance.

One thing to remember is, to borrow from Lewis Carroll, "the higher the fewer". When a promotion is in view, only one person will get it and everyone else (that wants it) will be disappointed. My observation has been, and I've worked in many organizations that had that management structure, that there are people who have developed a skill, which is "getting promoted". Unfortunately, keeping your head down and being productive doesn't work too well. You can call it "smarming" or "brown nosing" or "networking" or whatever you wish, but regrettably it seems to have little to do with the ability to actually do the job once the promotion is gained.

The problem is that managers are human and don't see all the virtues and shortcomings of those they manage, even if they want to be fair. And that is exacerbated by the fact that most of them got their jobs through the described ability to get promoted, instead of what is actually required, which is the ability to manage. I have seen a few good managers, and some were very good, but they were in a small minority. I got into a management position by being very good in my previous position, failed miserably, and eventually had the sense to get the heck out while i still had my sanity. Oh, that's another bad reason to promote someone. A good programmer doesn't tend to make a good manager. The skill set is very different.

 

[ChristineM]

I suspect that term came from a lazy person who just didn't want to try hard enough to advance.

And i suspect it came from a manager who couldn't stand smarmy creeps. Certainly was in my case

 

[Wildswanderer]

One thing to remember is, to borrow from Lewis Carroll, "the higher the fewer". When a promotion is in view, only one person will get it and everyone else (that wants it) will be disappointed. My observation has been, and I've worked in many organizations that had that management structure, that there are people who have developed a skill, which is "getting promoted". Unfortunately, keeping your head down and being productive doesn't work too well. You can call it "smarming" or "brown nosing" or "networking" or whatever you wish, but regrettably it seems to have little to do with the ability to actually do the job once the promotion is gained.

The problem is that managers are human and don't see all the virtues and shortcomings of those they manage, even if they want to be fair. And that is exacerbated by the fact that most of them got their jobs through the described ability to get promoted, instead of what is actually required, which is the ability to manage. I have seen a few good managers, and some were very good, but they were in a small minority. I got into a management position by being very good in my previous position, failed miserably, and eventually had the sense to get the heck out while i still had my sanity. Oh, that's another bad reason to promote someone. A good programmer doesn't tend to make a good manager. The skill set is very different.

That's part of why I'm self employed now. But it's still not an excuse to be lazy. If no one ever promotes you, you still should take pride in your work. It's just being a good person.

 

[Alien826]

That's part of why I'm self employed now. But it's still not an excuse to be lazy. If no one ever promotes you, you still should take pride in your work. It's just being a good person.

I agree. There are three stages, don't you think? 1) Lazy. Not doing enough to justify what they pay you. 2) Sensible. Doing just enough to justify what they pay you. 3) Silly. Doing extra work in the hope that it will be rewarded in some way. In the end it's just a financial transaction, and should be treated as such.

Self employed is good btw. The boss always treats you well.

 

[Wildswanderer]

I agree. There are three stages, don't you think? 1) Lazy. Not doing enough to justify what they pay you. 2) Sensible. Doing just enough to justify what they pay you. 3) Silly. Doing extra work in the hope that it will be rewarded in some way. In the end it's just a financial transaction, and should be treated as such.

Self employed is good btw. The boss always treats you well.

I wish. I'm sometimes a worse taskmaster than my bosses were.