The new trend in the world of employment, the "quiet resignation", which conquered social networks in the US, continues to make headlines in Israel as well. Defined and balanced working hours that leave time for leisure and hobbies - beckon to almost everyone. But the trends on Tiktok are one thing and the reality is another thing. For many employers in Israel, the hour is 5 p.m. :00 is not a "sacred" hour, they expect their employees to be available and ready to work diligently even outside of normal working hours and sometimes even on vacations. Any other behavior could be interpreted as "shrinking" and harm the employee's employment future.
And the workers?
The economic reality of the cost of living in Israel leaves many of them no choice, they grit their teeth and connect to the office after the children's bedtime.
Is the hot trend destined to remain on social networks, where it will be forgotten, as if it did not exist, or is this the beginning of a change in the entire employment market?
Will the young generation that invented the Tiktok trend, Generation Z, succeed in establishing new norms - or will they be forced to adapt to the hard work?
It is too early to tell, but many experts are convinced that even in Israel the first buds of the popular phenomenon are beginning to be felt.
It can happen in any abrasive workplace, and also in high-tech.
"Working in high-tech, especially in start-ups, is a very exhausting and abrasive job. The employees open their laptops after putting their children to bed because they work for global companies, and you have to respond to Australia and the USA.
There are people who can't disconnect even on vacations, because the bosses tell them to 'bring the laptop with you, because there is a big project in the company and you need to be available,'" says Dror Litbek, CEO of Experis Israel, which deals with training, placement and managed services in high-tech, in a conversation with "Israel Today".
Litbek says that the "quiet resignation" phenomenon is already felt in Israel as well, especially in high-tech.
"Israeli high-tech, which during the Corona period switched to working completely from home, is trying with all its might to bring the employees back to the offices - by bringing in prestigious chefs to cook the best lunches for the employees, a pampering work environment and more, and the employees' answer to the compulsion of the companies to return to work from the offices, is in fact the 'quiet resignation' - Minimizing their heads and performing only the tasks they must perform."
According to him, "In high-tech, unlike the general labor market, the 'quiet resignation' phenomenon is part of a power struggle, a continuous 'tug of war' between the employees and the employers. The negotiation with the employees is conducted not only on the number of days of work from the office, but also on which days they will work from the office".
Litvek adds that "the great concern surrounding the high-tech layoffs was a step by the employers to weaken the bargaining power of the employees."
"A phenomenon that is easy to hide"
The experts in the employment market believe that it is still not possible to measure the dimensions of the phenomenon in Israel.
Dr. Sharon Toker, occupational burnout researcher and head of the health systems management program at Tel Aviv University, explains in a conversation with "Israel Hayom" that "it is not a scientific term but a buzzword in the world of work.
"When you check the videos on TikTok and the way they are treated in the media, you realize that this is a phenomenon that describes a decrease in motivation and occupational attrition, and not really a quiet departure. Therefore, not only has it not been measured in Israel - it is difficult to know to what extent it exists, when it comes to a phenomenon that is very easy to hide," she says
What is meant by hiding?
"Some of the manifestations of the phenomenon are visible - for example, refusing overtime or working from home, but most of the manifestations of the phenomenon are 'silent' - for example, a delay in answering emails, submitting tasks very late, minimal overlap in the absorption of a new employee, or simply a lack of desire to provide customer service - restaurateurs Many complain about this," explains the researcher.
"From here to measuring the 'phenomenon' it is understood that the distance is very large. To measure such trends it is necessary to reach a representative sample of employees and managers, and ask them to report it. Managers will not hesitate to admit that the employees in their organization behave this way, and female employees will not report it - Because why should they get involved?".
At the same time Toker adds: "It is clear that the phenomenon exists, if only because of the great media interest and identification it has aroused. In fact, the many publications have led to the fact that almost everyone today identifies themselves with this phenomenon, and admits that it is a little difficult for them to give their maximum."
"human machine wears out"
To illustrate her words, Toker cites as an example the teaching position and the salary agreement with the teachers, which was reached last week.
"The teachers' agreement expects a teacher who enters the system to be an excellent teacher both in her first year and in her tenth year. The school will expect her to invest physical effort - to be present for long hours; to invest intellectual effort - to be creative, innovative, to acquire relevant knowledge; and to invest emotional effort - to be nice , inclusive, attentive, smiling. But, and this is a very big but - just like any machine, we too, as human machines, wear out and are unable to 'deliver' the same performance over the years."
Toker continued: "Actually, the quiet resignation in question signifies 'quiet withdrawal' or 'quiet withdrawal,' a much more accurate term. It is a withdrawal that comes to distance us from our source of stress, which means - work. Moving away from work helps prevent burnout by limiting the resources we invest (time, thinking, emotion) and also serves as a way to cope among those who are worn out. I stay fewer hours, try not to take on what I don't have to, and certainly don't invest emotional effort in a place that doesn't invest in me back. It's easy to see this happening among those who work as service providers or in customer service centers".
Besides the natural erosion, Toker points to other and no less important reasons for the emergence of the phenomenon.
"The past two years have provided us with real FOMO (fear of missing out - SG) - the closures and isolations forced us to re-examine our lives even when they are devoid of long meetings, devoid of coffee conversations in the kitchen, when the burdens imposed on us are different and in addition they put a spotlight on our lives.
How precious they are, how scary it is to lose them and how little control we have over what surrounds us.
The return to the so-called routine caught us with a mirror placed in front of our faces, forcing us to re-examine - what is important to us?
What should our priorities be?
Will money help us at the moment of truth?
The answers to these questions are different today than they were two years ago," Toker said.
Dr. Toker will present her findings on the subject of the "burnout phenomenon" as part of the occupational health conference of the Safety and Legal Institute to be held this week.
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