A quitter never wins. A winner never quits. Is this age old saying also becoming a victim of the wild fire of sudden change, fanned by digital technologies? We have long lived within a system where employers treat one’s responsibility towards family and friends as being limited to monetary facilitation – glorifying being physically unavailable for family – ideally even if they have just passed away – in order to maximise office hours. It may seem like I am painting a dystopian picture but I have personally witnessed all of this in the places I have been employed. In all likelihood, so have you. Most of us surrendered to this system because of the value system – a quitter never wins.
Cut to today. Quitting has taken-on an almost aspirational status. When we hear that someone has quit – a stressful workplace, an unconstructive relationship or playing games with Backstreet Boy’s heart (slipped in a joke for some respite), we congratulate them.
Having worked across all the major global communications conglomerates, I have had the good fortune of personally being bestowed with humane work environments more. How else would I have clocked in close to 2 decades, being employed. However, way before quitting became fashionable, every single time I have been subjected to a team leader that made me or anyone on the team feel apologetic about a dental issue or a viral attack or a family function, I always quit – mentally first and physically as soon as I could. In all likelihood, so have you. If you haven’t, the question is, does that make you feel like a winner?
We are entering an era where many are feeling like sore losers for never quitting. Earlier it was celebrated to hold on to disrespectful, self-serving, deceitful spouses or employers. Today, when old leaders of old companies, by force of habit, advocate for the same old inhuman work-life ratios,it stirs up mighty nationwide debates.
Until even 10 years ago, no one questioned it, Mainly because there was no option to do so. Corporate giants (and pygmies) exploited this in the garb of ‘loyalty’. When ‘loyalty’ lost its strength as a concept, a new concept was introduced – ‘nation building’, But, even that has become a weak motivator. It is still a viciously capitalist and consumerist world. But, people no longer need to surrender themselves to toxic environments to be able to survive in it. They are quitting for the win. In all kinds of ways.
We have all heard about Quiet Quitting – what employees whose enthusiasm is destroyed by stripping them of their sense of ownership or consultancy do. Exhausted, they resign to resigning at the first given opportunity, until which time they contribute half-heartedly. Some of us might be familiar with Rage quitting – what the impulsive by nature resort to.They are further emboldened today, by the facility of digital technologies and the internet to find a more suitable way of sustenance. Then there is Revenge quitting – a dramatic,loud exit – clearly stating the real reasons for doing so. In my time, we were advised to never be honest in exit interviews – to avoid repercussions. This one is the most recent and definite signal of a silent revolution – Career Catfishing – to accept the job offer and then never turn up. A silent protect against lack of transparency, unclear job descriptions and other such games employers play,
Passionate business owners and managers insist that the rush to create growth and impact drives them to not care about this so-called ‘balance’. Well and good. The point they hope the general public will miss is that people with the same passion and drive start their own businesses. When a person chooses to be employed instead of running their own business, it is because they have other priorities. The expectations from employees in the coming times will perhaps witness a welcome adjustment. The quitters may win.
The views and opinions published here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the publisher.
Be the first to comment on "Of Quitters and Winners"