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Workers’ perceived control, the belief that their efforts will lead to desired outcomes and be rewarded, declines during uncertain times. This sense of low perceived control leads workers to feel less emotionally attached to their work and to believe their employers see them as easily replaceable. As a result, they engage in quiet quitting, which is the deliberate choice to perform only minimum contractual duties.
Periods of heightened stress and uncertainty, such as political turmoil, economic instability, and global crises, tend to erode individuals’ general perceived control, defined as the belief that success at work is in their hands. Perceived control depends on the locus of control (whether outcomes are determined by internal or external factors) and self-efficacy (the belief in one’s personal capabilities). When workers believe that outside factors rather than their own efforts determine outcomes (i.e., a low locus of control) and start to question their own personal capabilities (i.e., low self-efficacy), the inevitable result is low perceived control.
A study from the Stevens Institute of Technology proves what has long been suspected: that low perceived control leads to the phenomenon known as “quiet quitting.” Quiet quitting is an employee’s deliberate choice to limit their work effort strictly to the responsibilities stipulated in their contract, intentionally refraining from tasks that exceed the minimum requirements.
A key contribution of the study is distinguishing quiet quitting from related concepts often used interchangeably. For example, quiet quitting is often confused with work disengagement, a negative state in which employee,s for whatever reason, do not care about their work or the success of the companies they work for. Quiet quitters are not disengaged; they make a conscious decision to set boundaries, which is that they will perform only the “bare minimum” expected. This deliberate intentionality (versus actions that are right due to uncontrollable outside factors) is what makes quiet quitting unique.
To test the link between perceived control and quiet quitting, the researchers developed and validated a 5-item quiet quitting scale e, which they then used in a survey of 1000 full-time U.S. employees. The results of the survey showed a strong link between the level of workers’ perceived control and their propensity to engage in quiet quitting. A higher score on the locus of control index (indicating lower perceived control) increased the quiet quitting score, while higher self-efficacy (higher perceived control) significantly decreased the chance of quiet quitting. The survey also identified two factors that played a major role in turning low perceived control into quiet quitting: lower affective commitment and a higher sense of replaceability. The researchers found that reduced perceived control led to workers’ diminished emotional attachment, identification, and involvement with their organizations and amplified the feeling that their role and contributions were inconsequential and easily substituted by another employee.
The key implication for employers is that addressing quiet quitting requires restoring the employees’ sense of agency or perceived control. Since a lack of perceived control is a strong driver of quiet quitting, organizational interventions should focus on strengthening the belief that effort will lead to the rewards workers expect.
An important step is for organizations to use the study’s validated 5-item quiet quitting scale to accurately distinguish between quiet quitters as opposed to disengaged workers. This prevents managers from framing quiet quitting behavior as automatically confrontational or negative. With this better understanding, they can respond with tailored steps that specifically address quiet quitting driven by low perceived control.
To increase perceived control, management should implement strategies related to participative management, such as ensuring frequent and constructive feedback, showing managerial support, and clearly communicating appreciation for contributions, and enhanced autonomy, such as granting employees decision-making authority and allowing flexibility in how tasks are executed.
Critically, management must also address affective commitment and replaceability, the two main factors that convert low perceived control into quiet quitting. Workers’ emotional attachment to their organizations can be enhanced through organizational rewards and the support of supervisors and managers. To counteract the detrimental sense of replaceability, organizations must actively foster an environment where employees feel their work is valued and acknowledged. Furthermore, recognizing that external factors (like societal crises) influence employees’ sense of control, employers should invest in holistic well-being support, such as mental health resources, to build a more resilient organizational culture.
Justine Hervé’s profile at Stevens Institute of Technology
https://www.stevens.edu/profile/jherve
Hyewon Oh’s profile at Stevens Institute of Technology
https://www.stevens.edu/profile/hoh
Quiet Quitting in Times of Uncertainty: Definition and Relationship With Perceived Control. Justine Hervé and Hyewon Oh. Human Resource Management (September/October 2025).
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