The Impact of Quiet Quitting and Passive Quitting Phenomena on Occupational Burnout

Theoretical background: Occupational burnout remains a key organizational challenge, while the phenomenon of quiet quitting (QQ - conscious limitation of effort to formal requirements) gains significance in contemporary workplaces. However, existing literature lacks frameworks for distinguishing deliberate disengagement from unintentional, apathetic withdrawal. To address this gap, the concept of passive quitting (PQ - apathetic withdrawal from exhaustion and loss of meaning) is introduced and both mechanisms' unique contributions to explaining burnout are examined.Purpose of the article: To determine the impact of quiet quitting and passive quitting phenomena on occupational burnout and empirically assess their unique contributions within a single coherent latent model.Research methods: Cross-sectional CAWI study on a nationwide sample of Polish employees (N = 1040). QQ and PQ were measured using validated scales, burnout was assessed with the OLBI questionnaire. Covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) was employed to test hypotheses assuming both phenomena as significant predictors of occupational burnout.Main findings: Passive quitting is a strong and significant predictor of occupational burnout (β = 0.475, p < 0.001), while quiet quitting shows virtually no relationship (β = 0.0012, p > 0.001). The most influential factors were items related to loss of job satisfaction and meaning (PQS6, PQS7), distinguishing apathetic withdrawal from conscious boundary-setting. PQ may serve as a practical early warning indicator, while QQ behaviors alone do not increase burnout risk when PQ is controlled for.