As COVID-19 has brought a lot of challenges in every aspect of our lives, whether it be social, economic, or political, and has affected almost every industry, it has also impacted the healthcare setup, and understandably so, in a variety of ways. This is the case with quiet quitting, a phenomenon that, despite having been coined previously, was brought to light by the recent pandemic. The term "quiet quitting" does not pertain to leaving one’s employment, but rather it denotes a work behaviour adopted by employees in which they limit themselves to performing only the tasks outlined in their job description without putting in additional effort or working with extra dedication. They reject the notion of being accessible for further work outside of those hours [1]. This has been in line with the increasing amount of burnout experienced by healthcare professionals working during the COVID-19 emergency, which already has well-documented long-term physical and psychological consequences [2].

The pandemic has highlighted the stark contrast between the working conditions of healthcare workers and the general population. While the general population was protected by lockdowns, slower work, and social distancing, healthcare workers faced longer shifts, higher risks of infection, the requirement to wear personal protective equipment, limited guidelines to ensure their protection and that of their families, as well as physical and verbal violence, disparities in workload, and disparities in payment [3,4]^. All these factors have led to a sense of uncertainty, isolation, fear, and decreased job satisfaction, resulting in a widespread movement towards a "quiet quitting" culture in the healthcare industry. This trend is further supported by a study which demonstrated significant positive correlation between fear of COVID-19 and psychological distress, organizational turnover intention i.e., wanted to leave this healthcare facility, and professional turnover intention i.e., wanted to leave this profession among front line nurses [5], reflecting the negative impact of the pandemic on their working conditions and job satisfaction.

While the concept of quiet quitting has been viewed positively in other industries, as it can improve work-life balance and reduce stress and anxiety, it has had a dual impact on the healthcare system. This is because the healthcare system depends on strong relationships between patients and healthcare workers, and the effects of quiet quitting have a direct impact on patient care, quality, and safety. In addition, the sense of community and the feeling of being valued, respected, and recognized by peers and the organization are crucial factors for career satisfaction among healthcare workers. Unfortunately, there has been a decline in this sense of community in recent years, particularly during the pandemic, which has led to emotional detachment from the workplace and a trend of quiet quitting [6]. This idea was further reinforced by the study on health care professionals, which showed significant levels of emotional exhaustion and reduced personal accomplishment in more than 60% of the sample population and moderate to severe levels of depersonalization in more than 25% of the sample population during the pandemic [7]. Consequently, all of this has created a vicious cycle that leads to an increased healthcare burden, higher rates of physician turnover, elevated risk of medical errors and adverse outcomes, reduced access to care, and ultimately, a strain on healthcare resources and infrastructure (Figure 1).