Quiet Quitting in Higher Education

<p>Quiet quitting refers to the practice whereby employees strictly adhere to the tasks outlined in their job descriptions, deliberately refraining from engaging in duties beyond their formal responsibilities. This behavior is frequently attributed to ineffective leadership, low job satisfaction, or unsupportive work environments. Organizational cultures can either minimize or intensify such behaviors, depending on workplace expectations. This study employed a quantitative approach to explore the relationship between organizational culture dimensions and quiet quitting behaviors within higher education institutions in Kuwait. The sample consisted of 270 academic and non-academic employees from both public and private higher education institutions. Data analysis revealed that specific disengagement behaviors varied in relation to organizational dimensions such as criteria for success, strategic emphases, organizational glue, and management style. These behaviors remained in the low to moderate range, reflecting boundary-setting rather than full disengagement. Notably, the prioritization of personal well-being was consistently high, particularly in adhocracy and market cultures, while hierarchy cultures showed lower disengagement when supported by effective management. Overall, the findings highlight the nuanced role of culture in shaping employees’ work-life boundaries.</p>