May 5, 2025
"Quiet quitting" on the rise in Japan
About 20 years ago, my work routine at a high school was brutal. I would wake up at 5:00 a.m., commute over an hour into Tokyo from the Chiba burbs, arrive at the door just as the custodians unlock the doors at 7 a.m., prep for and teach four to five lessons a day, stay until 5 or 6 p.m., and take a load of marking and more prep on the train ride home.
The school’s expectations were high, but so was my motivation and job satisfaction. The remuneration was adequate, and I was learning a lot, mentored by some Japanese and non-Japanese veteran teachers. Was work-life balance okay? Nope. But I had the stamina and was enjoying the experience.
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According to a recent Fortune report, workers in Japan are turning their backs on going the extra mile. About 45% of workers are engaging in 静かな退職 shizukana taishoku, as one author has translated the English term. So, how’s the competition doing? A few years ago, Gallup revealed that about 50% of American workers do the bare minimum.
I’m not a fan of the term “quiet quitting”. It implies that the workers are to blame for low stimulation and motivation to do more.
Have you heard some other expressions about work and motivation in Japan? Have you observed Japanese workers “quiet quitting”?
2 Comments
genkidesu
on May 5
Like you I'm not a huge fan of the quiet quitting term! I think that doing what you're paid to do is all that anyone should be doing. I think in a lot of jobs, most people do start out with a lot of enthusiasm, and probably will go the extra mile...and then come to realize that it doesn't come with extra pay or benefits. In jobs back home, I also saw people get promoted ahead of me because they were chummy with bosses rather than being hard workers. Frustrating, but I think it happens commonly. I completely understand people wanting to just do what they need to do and go home. Anyone is replaceable at work, and I know most employers see things that way, too -- if I dropped dead tomorrow I'm sure my job would be listed by week's end ;)
TonetoEdo
on May 5
@genkidesu You're right, most people are replaceable. However, when I leave, my organization will likely contract a dispatched young person. A newbie would likely do the minimum on a paltry contract, held at arm's length by contract conditions. And I wouldn't blame them.