Does quiet quitting manifest differently through karmic lenses and social comparisons?

What is it about?

This study explores why employees quietly disengage from work—a phenomenon known as quiet quitting—by examining the effects of negative workplace experiences like supervisor undermining and gossip. It also looks at how emotional exhaustion plays a key role in driving this behaviour. The research focuses on Indian service sector employees across industries like IT, finance, hospitality, and education. The results show that when employees feel emotionally drained—often due to bad treatment or gossip (negative)—they're more likely to quietly quit. Interestingly, negative gossip doesn’t directly lead to quiet quitting; it affects it only by causing emotional exhaustion. Also, the tendency to compare oneself with others (social comparison orientation) didn’t change these effects, but a strong sense of duty rooted in karmic beliefs (karmic duty orientation) helped reduce the impact of exhaustion on quiet quitting. In simple terms, the study suggests that toxic workplace behaviour leads to burnout, which then leads to quiet quitting—unless employees have a strong personal sense of responsibility. This has practical value for organisations aiming to improve employee engagement by addressing toxic behaviours and supporting positive internal motivations. It also highlights broader social benefits, such as improving well-being and promoting ethical workplace practices.

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