In recent years, the phrase “quiet quitting” has gained popularity. Despite its unfavorable associations, this phrase refers to a sensible work-life balance. It refers to workers who only do things that are related to their employment in the working industry. They prefer not to work over their regular working hours. Educators have noted that their students appear to be doing the same. Keep reading to find out how Quiet Quitting refers to the world of education.
- What is the definition of quiet quitting in the education sector?
- Why do students prefer quiet quitting?
- What can universities do to support students?
What is the definition of quiet quitting in the education sector?
Quiet quitting indicates doing the bare minimum of one’s job and putting in no more time, dedication, or encouragement than is absolutely necessary. In an educational environment, students who focus solely on material relevant to their courses are referred to be quiet quitters. They make no extra effort to broaden their expertise. A poll conducted by Intelligent revealed that many students attending private and public colleges put little effort into their usual homework. One in five people said there was an improper balance between work and life. In order to protect their mental health, college students have joined the quiet quitting trend. To put it plainly, a hustling culture mentality can be avoided by quitting quietly. When higher education students have a ton of extra work, they consider turning it down. The notion of hustling culture is unpopular with the younger generations.
Why do students prefer quiet quitting?
Some college students contend that in order to deal with remote learning, they must change their daily schedules. They participate in both non-educational and educational activities. Although both inside and outside of academic institutions, students prefer to concentrate more on their own needs. The survey from Intelligent found that attending semester-long classes results in a variety of emotions, including boredom, indifference, and stress.
It has been discovered that college students place a great value on their mental health. Good grades and physical health, respectively, are their second and third concerns.
How many students are quiet quitters?
Some students find it interesting to see how their parents value a work-life balance. Additionally, they strive to balance their personal and academic lives. Educational institutions are beginning to meet their demands, much like the business world has done.
When asked to give an estimate of how much effort they put into their college work, 34% admitted that they do not go above and beyond. 30% of college students report putting in “some” effort in school, while 4% report putting in “little” effort. Some respondents even said they put “no” effort into their coursework. When asked why they don’t put in their full effort in university, the most common reason given by far was that it would harm their mental and/or physical health.
Besides that, the class format may have a significant impact on students’ motivation and effort. 64% of college students agree that they put in less effort in online classes than in in-person classes.
17% of respondents who were asked to describe their school-life balance said it is somewhat unhealthy, while 3% said it is really bad. Additionally, on average, college students said that their mental health was a higher priority than their academic performance.
It is not surprising that this group has put this at the forefront of their needs, whether still in school or looking for their first job after school, said career expert Stacie Haller. “After being forced to adjust to remote learning during their college years where non-educational activities and student interaction which are often the activities supporting mental health and engagement, it is not surprising that this group has put this at the forefront of their needs,” she added.
What can universities do to support students?
Similar to the workplace, educational institutions can address new, more serious issues related to the needs of their respective populations.
Quiet quitting can have significant implications for both the individual students and the higher education institution. For students, quiet quitting can lead to a lack of progress toward their academic and career goals, as well as a waste of time and resources. For the institution, quiet quitting can result in lower enrollment and retention rates, which can negatively impact the institution’s financial and reputational standing. To maintain optimal performance in the academic world, school-life balance is important.
For many students, the stress and worry associated with higher education are real. To encourage student achievement, institutions must place a strong emphasis on students’ mental and emotional health, yet just 21% of the students polled for the third edition of the Connected Student Report believe their institution is achieving this.
Universities are increasingly called to provide support and address student success in a more holistic way. Universities can continue the development and testing of interventions that specifically address stress, anxiety, burnout, overload, and emotional and physical fatigue in students, faculty, and staff. Importantly, it is needed positive, preventive, health-focused interventions to pre-emptively improve resiliency, coping, and engagement for all persons connected to academic settings. Fortunately, we do have a growing number of evidence-based resources, programs, and expert clinicians in the field (Aryankhesal et al., 2019; Melnyk et al., 2020; Sinsky et al., 2020; Tucker et al., 2022).
To address the issue of quiet quitting, many higher education institutions have implemented interventions and support services to help students stay engaged and on track with their studies.
Establish an environment on campus that supports the well-being of the faculty, staff, and students. Promote self-care practices like exercise, meditation, and me-time by putting your attention there. By giving students a virtual forum to interact with one another, faculty members, and staff, online campus communities promote well-being. Students can create study groups, make friends, and chat through their concerns on their computers.
Furthermore, it’s critical to provide a supportive work atmosphere for academics and employees. A better working environment for personnel at an institution will benefit students. Make sure to give teachers the tools they need to spot problems with their well-being. Keeping student data in one place is one method to accomplish this. In this manner, it will be simpler to identify student issues and expedite referrals.
In order to support students’ well-being, resources are offered before they even arrive at school and continue after they graduate. Institutions should make sure students are aware of the options available to them for mental health during their whole time in higher education.
Technology like Salesforce for education can propel your institution forward, even if you don’t have a large staff to support students. From virtual advising and online communities to student surveys and employee assessments, new tools for tracking data, and analytics help employees and help you make the most of the resources you have. Universities can analyze data about students starting from the admission process all the way through to graduation.
Here are a few ways in which implementing Salesforce Education Cloud can help in Yours workplace:
- Digital-first student advising: Students are more likely to reach out to advisers when technology makes them more approachable, not just for academic support but also for mental health, stress management, and general well-being. Salesforce’s research shows that, in fact, more than half of students (51%) look for this type of assistance via email (42%) or on the websites of their schools. This kind of digital-first experiences can make it simple for students to stay on track and seek assistance when they require it.
- Give easy access to advisors: With Student Success Hub, a digital advising solution, students can make multiple appointments from one place. Students want to have access to advisors for questions and guidance using the system.
- Create belonging in online communities: In a Salesforce.org survey, students said online communities were vital to helping them adapt to the pandemic. Almost 30% said online communities created a sense of belonging to their institution, and 25% said online communities supported their well-being. They added that receiving personalized messages showed them that their schools still cared about their success.
- Conduct continuous surveys and assessments: Empower your staff and faculty with online well-being checks. A simple quiz can help leaders and employees determine stress levels and learn how to move forward.
Conclusion
Using data and analytics to serve the individual student is the future of higher education. Quiet Quitting is a serious issue in higher education, and it is important for institutions to take steps to address it in order to ensure that students have the best chance of success in their academic pursuits. You can successfully increase student engagement and achieve the agility so desperately needed in today’s ever-evolving educational landscape by digital transformation and effectively leveraging the Salesforce Education Cloud Platform. Check our free e-book!
* From September 2 to September 7, 2022, the poll was carried out online by the survey platform Pollfish on behalf of Intelligent. A total of 1,000 Americans took part in the study. To verify that they were between the ages of 18 and 24 and present college students, all participants had to pass through demographic filters. 22% of respondents were part-time, compared to 78% of full-time students.
