Quiet Quitting—Chicken or Egg?

by Robin W. Lindsay, MD •

• Did I have a chance to use my strengths every day?

• At work do I get a chance to do what I’m good at and something I love?

Feeling part of a team with mutual trust further increased engagement and resilience.

Scientists who study “learned helplessness” find that humans stop trying to improve their circumstances when they feel that nothing they do matters. The AMA reports that mentorship and responsive leadership can also greatly increase retention. Having managers who have soft skills and understand how to leverage employees’ uniqueness and strengths can significantly impact job satisfaction.

Organizations and managers can address quiet quitting and burnout by understanding the elements of their work that bring joy and increase the feeling of support and autonomy. Healthcare is uniquely positioned to overcome quiet quitting, as most individuals go into healthcare because of their passion for helping others. We have to design healthcare organizations and management teams to harness and retain the early love of healthcare by providing mentorship and increasing autonomy along the career journey for physicians of all generations.   

—Robin