Since late 2022, I have been working happily as an experiential marketing account executive at an international advertising agency. I excel at my job but have made it clear that I will only take on additional responsibilities if I am appropriately compensated. As someone on the Millennial and Gen Z cusp, my concept of "quiet quitting" revolves around achieving a healthy work-life balance and avoiding being taken advantage of by shouldering excessive duties.
Unfortunately, my previous employers misunderstood quiet quitting as laziness, failing to grasp its true meaning. However, I have come to embrace the importance of maintaining boundaries and striving for work-life balance. As a remote worker, I adhere to a nine-to-five schedule, but as part of a team spanning multiple time zones, I exercise flexibility. For instance, if I receive a non-urgent email after working hours, I will address it the following day. Similarly, if I have an early morning meeting in the Eastern Time zone, I adjust my schedule by finishing my workday earlier in my Central Time zone.
My learning journey towards becoming a quiet quitter began in a previous role at a mom-and-pop marketing advertising agency. The turnover rate was remarkably high, with most employees leaving within a year, including myself after ten months. In that position, I experienced being overworked, underpaid, and lacking proper training. The company struggled with understaffing, which resulted in excessive workloads and an expectation to handle multiple responsibilities without appropriate compensation.
This constant overtime work took a toll on my mental health, and I found myself growing increasingly unhappy. Despite my hard work, there were no clear growth opportunities, and when I mustered the courage to request a raise, I was told that my efforts fell short. Feeling expendable and undervalued, I realized it was time to seek alternative employment opportunities.
Through LinkedIn, I received an unexpected recruitment message from my current job. Initially skeptical, I became more interested after discovering the significant benefits they offered, which my previous employment lacked. Notably, I now have the privilege of unlimited paid time off, swift approval of leave requests from my director, remote work options, and the opportunity to focus on a select few brands.
Despite maintaining the same level of pay, the benefits and improved communication at my current job outweighed those at my former position. After nine months of working here, I can confidently say that I plan to stay long-term due to the employee-friendly work culture, remote work flexibility, and strong camaraderie among colleagues.
My previous experience has taught me the importance of setting clear boundaries to prevent overwhelming workloads from piling up. If I notice an overlap with someone else's role in my current job, I proactively communicate with my superiors, seeking clarification and attempting to define my responsibilities more precisely.
I deeply appreciate that my current managers are receptive to open and transparent conversations. During our one-on-one meetings, I regularly discuss my goals, asking for feedback on my progress towards becoming a senior account executive and seeking areas for improvement. I feel that management and I are working together in a collaborative partnership.
Despite being a self-starter and striving for excellence as a natural perfectionist, I refuse to take on more than what I am rightfully compensated for. Quiet quitting is not about being an unproductive employee; it is about maintaining healthy boundaries and advocating for fair treatment. While I am committed to performing my job to the best of my abilities, I will not hesitate to question whether I am being appropriately compensated for any new roles or duties that may be assigned to me.