How Does ‘Quiet Quitting’ Begin When the Psychological Contract Is Broken?
When an invisible agreement is breached, an invisible resignation begins.
In the world of work, there is a document everyone knows exists, yet no one ever puts on the table: the psychological contract.
It has no title, requires no signature, and has no place in company files — yet it is one of the strongest agreements between employee and employer.
When an employee joins an organisation, they look not only at salary, benefits, or job description, but also at their expectations, emotions, observed behaviours, and the nature of the relationship established with them.
This invisible contract is, in essence, a more subtle way of saying:
“I belong to you, and I will do my best for you.”
However, like any other contract, the psychological contract can be broken. And when it is, the first reaction is rarely to write a resignation letter. Instead, a quieter, more internal, and far less visible process begins: Quiet Quitting.
So how does this process unfold? Where does it begin? And how can organisations recognise it?
Let’s explore this together.
What Is the Psychological Contract — and Why Is It So Important?
The psychological contract refers to the unwritten set of mutual expectations between an employee and an employer.
These expectations often take the following form:
- “If I put in effort, I will be rewarded.”
- “They will support my development.”
- “They will treat me fairly.”
- “I will feel valued.”
- “The work I do will matter.”
You can often hear these thoughts in an employee’s inner voice when they first join an organisation. Communication during the recruitment process, early experiences in the first months, a manager’s approach, and organisational culture all play a major role in shaping these expectations.
The importance of the psychological contract lies here:
People relate to organisations less through corporate realities and more through how those organisations make them feel.
Motivation, therefore, is fuelled not only by budgets, but by relationships.
This is why a breach of the psychological contract often has a far deeper impact than technical issues such as overtime or workload alone.
How Does This Contract Get Broken?
The psychological contract is rarely broken by a single major incident. More often, it erodes through small but repeated experiences.
- Unfulfilled development promises
“Don’t worry, we’ll start the training.”
Two years pass, and no one has yet knocked on the training department’s door.
- Unfair distribution of work
In a team of three, one employee is constantly relied upon for their “resilience”.
- Changes in managerial behaviour
Praise gives way to indifference; feedback is replaced by silent meetings.
- The employee no longer feeling valued
They work until midnight on a project…
The next day, that project is barely acknowledged in the meeting.
Each of these — and many similar examples — creates a small crack in the contract.
As those cracks deepen, the employee quietly begins to ask:
“Why am I here?”
Is This Where Quiet Quitting Begins?
Yes — but not with a dramatic decision. Quiet quitting usually begins slowly, silently, and through emotional disengagement. The following signs often indicate that the process has started:
- The employee no longer volunteers for additional responsibility.
- They contribute fewer ideas in meetings.
- “We’ll see” becomes a frequently used defence mechanism.
- They do their job, but reserve no energy for more.
- Performance does not necessarily drop, but enthusiasm does.
- The employee shifts into self-protection mode — extra effort starts to feel risky.
Quiet quitting is not a state of laziness. It is the emotional shutdown of responsibility on the employee’s side of the work relationship.
The employee does not actually resign; they place their sense of belonging on hold.
The Signals Organisations Most Often Miss
When employees enter quiet quitting, managers often respond with comments such as:
“Their motivation seems a bit lower lately — probably just workload.”
In reality, the signals appear much earlier:
- Previously proactive employees step into the background.
- They withdraw from interpersonal interactions.
- Messages on Slack or Teams become shorter and more formal.
- Their eyes say, “I’m doing this, but I don’t know why.”
- In performance reviews, the word “I’m fine” becomes a protective wall.
When these signals are not recognised, organisations may one morning face an unexpected resignation. Quiet quitting is not a written notice; it is a delayed alarm.
Is It Possible to Reverse This Process?
Absolutely. When the psychological contract is broken, the solution is not to “boost motivation”, but to rebuild trust.
Trust can be restored through three core actions:
a) Being Heard
For many employees, the greatest frustration is the feeling of not being heard.
Even the sense that a manager is only pretending to listen can damage trust.
Genuine listening helps employees feel reconnected to the relationship.
b) Transparency
Sometimes organisations simply cannot offer certain things — promotions, pay rises, or project approvals.
Yet even hearing the sentence “We can’t do this because…” brings relief.
Uncertainty exhausts; clarity heals.
c) Realistic Improvement Steps
Most employees do not expect miracles. However, small but consistent actions — such as rebalancing workload, creating a development plan, or adopting a new managerial approach — can reverse the process.
At this stage, external expert support, leadership coaching, organisational analysis, and employee experience initiatives can make a significant difference.
Quiet Quitting Is Not a Threat — It Is an Indicator
Quiet quitting does not mean employees have “stopped working”; it means they are “protecting themselves”. For organisations, this is extremely valuable information. When quiet quitting becomes widespread, it indicates:
- Feedback mechanisms are not functioning effectively,
- There is a gap in manager–employee relationships,
- Large parts of the psychological contract have eroded,
- Organisational culture needs renewal.
Viewed this way, quiet quitting acts as an early warning system for organisations.
The Approach That Strengthens Employee Experience: Managing Trust
In today’s business world, one of the greatest competitive advantages organisations can have is a culture of trust. When trust is built:
- Employee engagement increases.
- Quiet quitting decreases.
- Performance improves.
- Teams become more creative.
- Recruitment processes accelerate.
And most importantly, employees feel valued — which changes the very atmosphere of the organisation.
At this point, redesigning organisational processes, strengthening leadership capabilities, tracking employee experience through data, and embracing transparent communication all play a critical role.
Mini Awareness Checklist: Is the Psychological Contract Intact?
Organisations can ask themselves the following questions:
- Do employees feel heard?
- Are promises realistic and consistently followed up?
- Do managers provide regular, high-quality feedback?
- Is workload distributed fairly?
- Are development plans actively progressing?
- Is the culture built on trust and openness?
- Are employee contributions genuinely recognised?
As long as the answers to these questions are “yes”, the door to quiet quitting closes — and the door to engagement opens.Quiet quitting, which begins when the psychological contract is broken, is not a loss for organisations; it is a call to awareness. With the right communication, effective leadership, and thoughtful employee experience design, a silenced working life can be re-energised.
