Quiet quitting

[Floofydawg]

I've had enough of my job. Am 54, tired, burnt out and sick of the corporate bullshit. My workplace is becoming toxic in terms of the expectation on people. I want out, but with 20+ years service I want a payout. I'm quiet quitting - has anyone ever been successful in getting redundancy by doing that? I've even considered getting signed off with stress. I'm not sleeping, and it's not good for my health.

Bump

Get another job instead?

This was alwaya known as working to contract, when did the term quiet quitting take over?

Why do you want a payout?

What kind of work do you do? Ie, what form does the quiet quitting take?

can you take a career break?

i do agree with you I used to work in such a toxic industry that once I found myself thinking how disappointing it was that I wasn’t a sociopath as I could see quite a few at the top were and it would make my professional life much easier!

i am not a sociopath. i left and changed jobs.

Seems to feel she’s entitled because she’s older?
you don’t like the job so leave it

Unless you know that they are considering redundancies across the organisation then I'd just look for a new job.

Quiet quitting is more likely to get you get you put on an improvement plan and/or headed down a disciplinary path than get you a payout.

You're more likely to get managed out and sacked so they can avoid paying out. Stop playing games, take a one year unpaid sabbatical, recover and look for another job. Then you can resign when you have another job lined up.

Quiet quitting = only working my hours. Not putting in the extra mile.

I work in FS. If I got a payoff I could probably retire. No one wants to employ 50+ women in my industry - I've tried getting another job a couple of years back. Plus I work 4 days so difficult to find PT work.

Employers dont want to payout a redundancy package unless they really have to. Stop playing stupid games with your career and look for another job or do the job you have already. Just work to contract until you get another job.

Plus nobody will employ you if you have a discliplinary against your employment record.

Maybe don’t work 4 days?

That's what my line manager said. Why can't you be allowed to slow down when you're older, if you can afford to? Lots of ageism here.

"Why can't I be allowed to slow down?"

Because that's not what you are contracted to do.

54 is 15 years off retirement

I think working your contracted hours is fine, and actually what everyone should be doing if they want to, cause you know it's what you are actually paid to do.

I don't think it's valid to expect a redundancy pay out though as a result.

I hope things improve for you OP or you manage to find another job.

I think people should only have to work the hours they are paid for. Whether you call that quiet quitting or just not doing unpaid overtime that is damaging your mental health!

Not sure why it would lead to redundancy though, unless you have specific reasons to think that? If they want to manage you out, they might offer you a payout in return for you "going quietly", signing a non disclosure agreement etc but i wouldn't rely on that.

Prioritize your health - If you don't want drama and can afford it, could you go to 3 days a week for a while, to give yourself some space and help your mental health while you figure out your next move?

@ChampagneCommunist I'm contacted to work 4 days, at 80% pay. But my company seems to expect 5+ days of work in those 4 days. I was responding to the poster who suggested I shouldn't work PT.

And I'm 5 and a bit years from retirement, not 15.

Redundancy only (legally) applies when the work you are doing is no longer needed, or the requirement for it is reduced.

So if they need someone to do your work/ job, they won't make you redundant- why would they pay out all that money when they don't have to? If they are putting people at risk of redundancy in other parts of the business they may consider substantial severance- allowing you to volunteer for redundancy so they can move a suitable 'at risk' person into your job - instead.

If they perceive that you're not doing your job to the required standard they would be well within their rights to start capability or disciplinary procedures - the outcome of which can be dismissing an employee without having to make any payment. So much cheaper than 'paying you off'.

So as PPs have said, look for other jobs, request a career break, request to reduce to 3 days.... but don't rely on getting a pay- off.

you’re in your 50s. Not your 80/ fgs

@Sandanistasaid: Get another job instead? Seems to feel she’s entitled because she’s older? you don’t like the job so leave it. Maybe don’t work 4 days? you’re in your 50s. Not your 80/ fgs.

FFS Sandy who pissed in your cornflakes this morning? 😂

It's interesting that when someone older is clearly struggling they are told to get on with it yet it seems to be perfectly acceptable for vast quantities of youngsters to not work or work part time because they all evidently have mental health. We all have mental health fgs.

Anyway OP it sounds unlikely they will make you redundant. Have you tried saying that the workload is too much or that you want to reduce days further? Can you afford to do that? What would happen if you simply start saying you haven't finished work?

Frankly I don't understand why more people don't 'work to rule'. All we hear is how overworked people are, we'll stop doing it 🤷‍♀️

You're only 54. Unless you've got fantastic savings be careful you don't find yourself pushed out harder than you want. Exceptionally good redundancy packages are rare (admittedly I don't work in FS).

Redundancy isn't a pleasant experience in the main so be careful what you wish for.

No it isn't!

I have been made redundant twice..both times from jobs in FS....brilliant for me

OP I completely understand. I'm feeling exhausted and burned out after years of working long hours and doing lots of travelling for my job. I now do the hours I'm contracted to. I still do my job well but I don't do any extra.

Can you take some of your pension when you turn 55 and cut your hours a bit more or take a lower paid, less stressful job (or a job in a less stressful environment)? Or retire early?

I'm at the very early stages of retraining. Some folk might think I'm too old but the way I see it is I still have a good few years left in me yet and life is too short to be miserable ☺️

I’m a similar age and struggling similarly. It’s hard. I can’t keep up the intensity I used to manage, and jobs are so intense these days.

It feels like running to stand still and if you pause to breathe and gather your thoughts, you get behind.

Can I suggest being a bit more day by day about it? So not actively trying to get managed out, more prioritising your health and stamina.
Is there occupational health at the company? Speak to them about being at risk of burn out. Go to the GP and get your bloods checked etc- it’s sensible to check you don’t have under active thyroid, low iron, vit d etc- and also shows willing at work, that you are addressing it yourself.

When you stop trying to please everyone and earn promotions, and just work day to day, it gets a bit easier.

I don’t blame you for feeling as you do. Those who do perhaps have different experiences. I’m thoroughly burned out from various high stress life events and work situations. I’m in a minimum wage low stress job and I still manage to get my knickers in a twist about it.

I miss the challenge of my previous work, but can’t sustain it anymore.

And state pension retirement for 54 year olds is now 67, so yes a hell of a long way off when you are struggling. For our mothers it was 60.