‘How to handle quiet quitting?’: Team lead is preoccupied about how to handle the situation between a great employee who deserves to get promoted but won't due to his issues with management

Author image for María Cetra
María Cetra • Writer
Sep 3, 2026 11:15 AM EDT

Quiet quitting is the new 'I give up' after not getting what you wanted?


Quiet quitting seems to be just doing your job instead of putting your everything into every task and doing free extra hours every day. It seems to just be the "I give up" for the core employees that do everything around the office but get tired of getting disrespected and disregarded by managers. Is for the employees who deserved a promotion but instead only got to see everyone else get it, even when they didn't deserve it. It is the outcome of the unfairness of the office dynamic in which bosses favor people they like instead of the people who deserve it.

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  • 01

    So... he's doing his job? I think you took for granted his efforts.

    I got promoted to Team Lead. One of my employees basically quiet quit. You probably cannot call it quiet quitting because he told me that he lost any hope that working hard will get him anywhere in this company. This employee deserves a promotion in my opinion, but he doesn't get a long that well with my boss. Because of that I don't think this will happen any time soon. Now he is doing only the bare minimum. He doesn't work overtime anymore and he isn't as engaged anymore.
    via Ask2026_
  • 02
    A woman giving a presentation at the office. Image shown for illustrative purposes; person depicted is a model.
    via ThisisEngineering

    A woman giving a presentation at the office. 

    Image shown for illustrative purposes; person depicted is a model. 

  • This case is just another example of a person giving their everything, working hard, not complaining, and just getting run over again and again. This employee deserved a promotion. He’s great at what he does. But he is never going to get it just because the manager is not a fan of him. And I’m not referring to his work. This boss just doesn’t like him as a person. How is that fair? That is how corporate works, unfortunately.

  • 03

    That is the problem with being a Team Lead. If your team doesn't do enough, then YOU are the one in charge of stepping up.

    I can totally understand him, but here the problem for me. Most of the projects we were able to deliver in time because he was willing to go the extra mile. Most of the deadlines of my boss are unrealistic. Now I have to more hours because he is not willing to do it anymore. I don't want to lose him as an employee because I know what he is capable of and we get along great. But I don't think there is a chance to keep him. What do you think? Is there anything I can do to get him motivated again?
    via Ask2026_
  • 04

    Maybe do some kind of presentation to your boss so they take into account all the efforts that this core employee did so they can evaluate the situation for themselves.

    were up to me I would give him the desired promotion or salary increase. Edit: I don't really think managers are answering. Most replies seem to be from angry people who blame me for thinks out of my control.
    via Ask2026_
  • 05
    An open-plan office full of employees working.
    via Arlington Research

    An open-plan office full of employees working.

  • 06
    thrrrowitawaygg21 To be frank if I had a great employee that wasn't getting promoted because of my boss I would offer to be the world's best reference letter and recommendation they could get.
    via thrrrowitawaygg21
  • 07

    That's what I was saying... They gave you the job of Team Lead because they knew you could handle it.

    gafferfaff "Now I have to work more hours because he is not willing to do it anymore" Welcome to being a team lead bud... How about you push back in your manager about expectations. Something is wrong in your workflow if this required your top performer working overtime and going the extra mile.
    via gafferfaff
  • 08
    robx51 "most of the projects we were able to deliver on time because he was willing to go the extra mile" that sounds like a problem beyond one employee. Why were you pinning that on one person? The main issue I see here is that you might be having even more trouble should they leave entirely. "Quiet quitting" Imao
    via robx51
  • 09

    THAT!! He's doing his job, and that's it. Is basically what he was supposed to do from the beginning.

    Cent1234 Well, first of all, lets be clear on what you're upset about. Now he is doing only the bare minimum. He doesn't work overtime anymore and he isn't as engaged anymore. You're upset that he's doing his job. Most of the projects we were able to deliver in time because he was willing to go the extra mile.
    via Cent1234
  • 10
    You're upset because he's no longer volunteering uncompensated effort. Most of the deadlines of my boss are unrealistic. You're upset because now you can't be a yes- person while riding on his back. Now I have to more hours because he is not willing to do it anymore. You're upset because now you have to actually interface with your boss and push back on unrealistic deadlines. Or because now, due to your unwillingness to do so, you
    via Cent1234
  • 11
    feel the need to perform uncompensated extra work. This employee deserves a promotion in my opinion, but he doesn't get a long that well with my boss. Because of that I don't think this will happen any time soon. You're upset because he recognizes, and fights for, his own worth. How should you handle it? Learn from him. Either do your job as team lead, which involves fighting for your team, and pushing back on unrealistic work demands, or be
    via Cent1234
  • 12
    happy that he's finally decided to assert his own self worth, and when he inevitably leaves, send him off with a glowing recommendation and as many bridges as possible unburned.
    via Cent1234
  • 13
    Homer4598 Any reason you can't go to your boss about giving him a promotion despite your boss not liking him? Take the initiative and sell your boss on the benefits.
    via Homer4598
  • 14

    Unfortunately, that is true. It's your job as Team Lead to make sure that your team keeps up with the work without you having to put up with it or an employee having to do free extra time.

    ThatBChauncey You have way bigger issues if your team can't deliver results without someone working over to get it done.
    via ThatBChauncey
  • 15
    Fox-Possum-3429 Your boss didn't value the contribution of your colleague. Overtime isn't mandatory. You can't expect someone to work overtime. Colleague not working overtime jeopardises the project deliverables then fix the deliverables timelines. It's not on you to work extra hours to make up for it when the timelines are unreasonable. Your boss FAFO
    via Fox-Possum-3429
  • 16
    jba1224a "Is there anything I can do to get him to do extra work for free?" No. If someone working extra is required for you to meet baseline then you have a problem with team output or you have a problem with expectations. Take your pick but neither are his fault.
    via jba1224a
  • 17

    I don't think that he should have gotten her promotion. It seems like they both deserved some kind of promotion, and he didn't get it due to his own issues with management. It's unfortunate, but let's not disregard her effort.

    Ok_Aioli3897 So you want him to work more when you got the promotion he should have gotten so you can reduce your workload. Seems it's all about you
    via Ok_Aioli3897

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Tags

management core employee corporate problem overworked-employees
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