If you’re an employer trying to figure out your employees, your best bet is Tik Tok. If the cool kids are doing it in the office, they’re bragging about it on Tik Tok in a space affectionately known as “Quit Tok.” That’s where the adults in the room first learned about “quiet quitting,” “rage applying,” and “malicious compliance.” (For the record, “doing only the bare minimum to keep your job,” “having a bad day and applying to 5 online jobs ads for spite,” and “passive-aggressively doing exactly what you asked, even if it’s going to result in a mistake I can see coming.”)
“Coffee badging” involves complying with the return to the office mandate – technically. Some workers have discovered that if they hit the office, log in or swipe their badge, have coffee in the break room with their work bestie, then head out to a “meeting” offsite, the look like they’ve spent “a day in the office.” A related trend includes the idea of “acting your wage,” which promotes the idea that a low-wage job deserves a commensurate low-effort investment of time and energy. Present, but not contributing.
The opposites of the coffee badgers are the “desk bombers,” workers who are so happy to get back to in-person camaraderie that they don’t know when to quit. Despite being the recipient of unsubtle body language, heavy sighs, and repeated hints that their coworker has actual work to do, they linger at a colleague’s desk long after their welcome has worn out. This is why workers feel they’re more productive at home; there, at least, the only droning noise comes from the dishwasher doing its job.
As Gen Z women realize that being a “girl boss” always comes with more work, but doesn’t always come with more pay, the glow is wearing off. Behold the rise of attractive “lazy girl” jobs, where women seek out roles that provide a comfortable living without the need for a lot of hustle and grind. Presumably, they coast home after a day of coasting to enjoy a girl dinner in front of reruns of The Gilmore Girls.
Finally, beware of “workslop”, derived from the term “AI slop,” a term for low-quality media made with generative artificial intelligence. As workers discover the joy and convenience of notes, plans, and briefings that don’t require actual human effort, workers who engage their own brains will have extra work as they try to sort out the gems from the slop. Collaboration may become one big game of whack-a-mole as you try to quash shortcuts and promote deep thinking. Good luck with that.
Your Work, Your Way 