Poor leadership and unhappy workplace cultures are among the factors contributing to a rise in so-called “quiet quitters”.

One in three UK workers now label themselves as quiet quitters, showing up to work with the purpose of doing no more than what is required – effectively working strictly to their contract – to stay employed.

While many quiet quitters enjoy their work and simply want a better work-life balance, poor management and culture were found to be the two leading factors behind the trend, highlighting a need for business leaders to consider their role in engaging the workforce.

The findings emerge in analysis of 3,000 UK workers by BetterUp, published by HR Director.

The research revealed that 14% of respondents are ‘thrivers’ – those who have found the sweet spot between work and life, able to maintain high levels of wellbeing and engagement at work.

Thrivers are more resilient (14%), have higher purpose and meaning in their work (26%), and have a greater sense of agency and ability to achieve goals (27%). These workers also fare slightly better at emotional and physical wellbeing and stress management.

Quiet quitters have made a trade-off between engagement and wellbeing.  This group are 26% better at stress management, 29% better rested and 24% less likely to suffer burnout, especially in comparison to “workaholics” – those who are engaged but have low work-life balance.

However, they tend to suffer in terms of job performance and sense of belonging. They feel a lower sense of purpose at work (16%), have less motivation to continue to learn and grow within their roles (13%) and show less organisational commitment than workaholics (13%).

These highlight the challenges facing employers struggling to retain and attract talent and to boost productivity.

The survey also comes at a time when thousands of workers take industrial action for improved pay and conditions.

See also: Workers lose their chains as quiet quitters