Understanding quiet quitting amongst professionals in Finland
Terho, Antti (2025)
2025
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025052717121
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025052717121
Tiivistelmä
This bachelor’s thesis explores the phenomenon of quiet quitting among professionals in Finland, with the aim of understanding the perspective of employees’ better. The research focuses on both the key factors behind quiet quitting and the effects quiet quitting has on the motivation and well-being of employees.
This study consists of a theoretical framework that covers quiet quitting and theories closely related to it, and an empirical research section. The research was conducted through an open-question survey, sent directly to self-identified quiet quitters. The study involved seven participants that shared their experiences of quiet quitting, and the results were analyzed through thematic analysis.
The research results suggest that quiet quitting was not sudden or an impulsive action but instead a response to unmet needs and acted as an act of self-preservation for the employees. The results pointed to unsustainable workloads, poor management practices, and emotional exhaustion as key factors behind quiet quitting. Most of the participants reported improvements in their well-being after quiet quitting, but others experienced declining motivation, morale, and concerns about career progression.
The study concluded that quiet quitting among professionals in Finland, appears as a nuanced, value-driven response to pressures and unmet needs. It reflects an employee’s attempt to protect their wellbeing and reclaim control over their lives, when the efforts from organizations and management have failed to empower them to do so.
This study consists of a theoretical framework that covers quiet quitting and theories closely related to it, and an empirical research section. The research was conducted through an open-question survey, sent directly to self-identified quiet quitters. The study involved seven participants that shared their experiences of quiet quitting, and the results were analyzed through thematic analysis.
The research results suggest that quiet quitting was not sudden or an impulsive action but instead a response to unmet needs and acted as an act of self-preservation for the employees. The results pointed to unsustainable workloads, poor management practices, and emotional exhaustion as key factors behind quiet quitting. Most of the participants reported improvements in their well-being after quiet quitting, but others experienced declining motivation, morale, and concerns about career progression.
The study concluded that quiet quitting among professionals in Finland, appears as a nuanced, value-driven response to pressures and unmet needs. It reflects an employee’s attempt to protect their wellbeing and reclaim control over their lives, when the efforts from organizations and management have failed to empower them to do so.