Quiet quitting costs global economy $8.8 trillion, says Gallup 

WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES — Quiet quitting costs the global economy $8.8 trillion, or nine per cent of the global GDP, said analytics firm Gallup. 

In its State of the Global Workplace report, Gallup defined quiet quitting as “what happens when someone psychologically disengages from work.”

This form of employee disengagement involves workers continuing in their roles without extra effort. It is attributed to work stress, layoffs, and economic uncertainties. It now accounts for 59% of the global workforce.

However, Gallup suggests that quiet quitters also present substantial opportunities for organizational growth and change. 

“Quiet quitting employees are your organization’s low-hanging fruit for productivity gains,” the report says, indicating they could be re-engaged through better leadership and motivation.

Gallup’s report categorizes employee engagement into three groups: “thriving at work,” “quiet quitters,” and “loud quitters.” It assumes that improved managerial practices and culture shifts could convert many quiet quitters into productive team members.

Experts agree that addressing employee concerns and enhancing work-life balance could be vital in reversing the quiet quitting trend. Companies could unlock hidden potential and stimulate economic growth by transforming these silent dissenters into engaged, productive employees.