Ep 49: Quiet Quitting or Quiet Survival?

In this episode of The Corporate Burnouts, Mandy Holt and Mandy Alt take a deeper look at the viral workplace trend and ask the question no one seems to be answering honestly: are people really disengaging from work, or are they simply trying to survive it? Drawing from lived corporate experience, leadership roles, and burnout recovery, the Mandys unpack how quiet quitting is often less about laziness or lack of ambition and more about self-preservation, boundary-setting, and exhaustion after years of over-performance.

They explore how toxic work cultures, unclear expectations, emotional labor, and constant pressure have pushed employees into doing the bare minimum not out of rebellion, but out of necessity. This episode challenges the narrative pushed by hustle culture and corporate leadership, reframes quiet quitting as a signal rather than a problem, and helps listeners identify whether they’re pulling back because they’ve checked out, or because they’re protecting their mental health.

If you’ve been accused of quiet quitting, feel guilty for no longer “going above and beyond,” or are questioning your relationship with work altogether, this conversation will help you name what’s really happening, validate your experience, and consider what sustainable work should actually look like.

Listen in, reflect on where you might be surviving instead of thriving, share this episode with someone who feels burned out but unseen, and follow The Corporate Burnouts for honest conversations about work, burnout, boundaries, and life after corporate.

And if you’re looking for inspiration and education that leads to actionable change, check out the Become Conference in St. Louis this March 12-13 and come say hi, we’d love to meet you. Here is the link to register for Become now - https://littleblackbook.wildapricot.org/event-6349380

FAQs

1. Is quiet quitting really about laziness or disengagement?
The Mandys argue it’s often about survival—employees pulling back to protect their mental health after years of over-performance and emotional exhaustion.

2. What workplace factors contribute to “quiet survival”?
Toxic cultures, unclear expectations, constant pressure, emotional labor, and hustle-culture messaging that rewards burnout rather than sustainability.

3. How does this episode reframe quiet quitting as a signal?
Instead of treating it as a problem to fix, the episode positions quiet quitting as feedback—showing where systems, leadership, and boundaries are failing.

4. What does sustainable work actually look like?
Sustainable work includes clear expectations, healthy boundaries, realistic workloads, and permission to perform well without sacrificing mental health.