Nearly a third of HR professionals concerned about morale amid quiet quitting's rise
The trend of "quiet quitting" is starting to catch up in Japan, according to reports, with HR leaders concerned that it could hurt morale.
Findings from Japanese job-matching firm Mynavi revealed that 45% of 3,000 workers in Japan are practicing quiet quitting.
"We can see that 'quiet quitting' is becoming the new norm," Akari Asahina, a researcher at the Mynavi Career Research Lab, told The Japan Times.
Quiet quitting refers to employees' behaviour of only performing the bare minimum that's required for their job and not going above and beyond their current responsibilities.
It has been gaining momentum in workplaces over the past years, with a notable spike observed following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to previous research.
In Japan, Mynavi's poll found that quiet quitting will not likely show signs of slowing down soon.
More than 70% of Japanese workers who identified as quiet quitters said they plan to continue doing it, according to the report, as featured by The Japan Times.
This comes as 60% said they were satisfied with its outcome, such as more time for personal pursuits during and outside working hours.
But the rise of quiet quitting is raising red flags for nearly a third of HR leaders, according to the Mynavi poll.
It found that 32% of HR professionals are concerned that quiet quitting might hurt morale.
On the other hand, 39% said they were receptive to it, acknowledging that not all employees might want to advance their careers.
"As values are becoming more diverse, it's important for companies to accept the diverse values of individuals and offer flexible work styles that fit them," Asahina said as quoted by The Japan Times.
The rise of quiet quitting in Japan comes amid reports that Japan is "healing from its overwork crisis."
Japan has a known culture of overworking employees to death. In fact, a term called "karoshi" meaning "death by overwork" is popular within the country.
But the number of work-related deaths in Japan has dipped, declining to 755 in 2023, according to data from the country's Ministry of Health.
Grace Chang, chief executive officer of Kintsugi, also noted that advances in artificial intelligence are also helping Japanese employers address high stress levels.
"Japan's technology-driven response to karoshi may serve as a blueprint for creating healthier workplaces globally," Chang said in an article for the World Economic Forum.
"Japan's journey to healing from this crisis is far from over. But with the help of new technologies and a growing awareness of the importance of mental health, there is hope that the country can reclaim its work culture in a way that nurtures its workers, rather than grind them down."
