The trend of “quiet quitting” continues to dominate TikTok.
For context, “quiet quitting,” sometimes called “acting your wage,” refers to a practice in which an employee does solely the duties of their job and nothing else. As many workplaces emphasize going “above and beyond,” this is viewed by TikTokers as a radical practice and a rejection of the fast-paced work life of modern America.
Numerous users have shared their quiet quitting stories, with some simply joking about the topic and others noting that even with a high income, many are still unable to afford homes—making it unsurprising that workers desire an alternative to their current work environment.
With the rise of quiet quitting has come a concurrent rise of alternatives; for example, some have recommended behaviors like malicious compliance as a way to get back at a poor work environment.
Now, another user on TikTok has sparked discussion with their own resolution to workplace issues.
In a video with over 122,000 views, TikTok user Hermes (@hermes.the.cynic) says that “quiet quitting is really f*cking boring.”
@hermes.the.cynic #quitting #quit #jobs #job ♬ original sound – Hermes
“What you’re going to want to do, is you’re going to want to be their most valuable employee,” Hermes explains. “You’re going to want to go above and beyond. You’re going to want to be their f*cking cornerstone, the person they go to to rely on, everything.”
“And you’re just going to quit,” he states. “No two weeks. Just blaze of glory. Tell them all to get f*cked. That’s the way to do it.”
As an explanation, Hermes says that employers can generally tell if one is mentally checking out of their work and can begin the process of replacing them. If the employee assumes more responsibilities, in contrast, the employer is caught off-guard and cannot quickly replace them when they decide to leave.
“If you can, ideally, sink their company when you do it because you’re so important, even better,” he says.
Hermes then recounts a story in which his workplace said they were going to reduce employee pay. In response, he and other employees got together and decided to quit on the same day. The business closed soon after.
“It was f*cking hilarious,” he shares.
Hermes’ plan seems to contrast with quiet quitting, which does not necessarily involve leaving the job. Hermes’ idea may be more in line with the idea of “loud quitting,” in which “employees…take actions that ‘directly harm’ the organization, while undercutting its goals and opposing its leaders,” per CNBC. According to that same article, which cites data from Gallup, “almost 1 in 5, or 18%, of global employees are loudly quitting or actively disengaged.”
In the comments section of Hermes’ video, many users admitted to performing similar actions to those recommended by Hermes.
“I DID THIS EXACT SAME THING like a month ago,” wrote a user. “I call it the Irish goodbye quit.”
“I INCREASED the wage of ALL of the employees in my department after several months of complaining as the [star] employee and quit a week later,” added another.
“YES. IVE DONE THIS. revenge is sweet and now I have an amazing job,” offered a third.
Some offered methods for heightening the impact on the company.
“Oh, also don’t forget to delete all your emails, take any materials you’ve accumulated that helps you do your job or understand it,” advised a user.
“2 months after I left my job I got a text asking me if I knew where something was and I said yes and then stopped replying,” recalled a second.
We’ve reached out to Hermes via Instagram DM.
