Some Black Workers Are Quietly Quitting On The Job, And This Is Why

Stressed woman rubbing her temples
Via wgbh
Tremain Prioleau II
April 12, 2023

Studies show 63% of Black employees don’t believe that working hard will get them far in the workplace. Why do so many Black workers feel unmotivated?

Black workers often have to work twice as hard as just to get a fraction of what their coworkers receive. This is devastating on our psyches. Many Black workers become stressed or burnout and the act of quiet quitting begins.

Quiet quitting comes in many different forms for different people. From frequently using cell-phones to submitting less quality work, workers are finding any way to distract themselves from their jobs. Being in a workplace that doesn’t value Black workers leaves us in a career without hope and conversely, no motivation.

Some Black workers feel the opposite pressure. Micromanaging in the workplace adds even more stress and the incentive becomes to survive not thrive. In this case, Black people feel they have to be over-achievers just to stay afloat leading many to leave their job outright.

We shouldn’t have to work harder than anyone else to survive in the workplace. We deserve to work in a space where we are celebrated and feel safe to be ourselves. It’s time to reimagine a liberated workplace that values us and our talents.

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