Understanding Quiet Quitting in the Hospitality Industry: A Temperament-based Perspective

Author Information

Pratiksha Singh, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, India
Akanksha Mishra, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, India

Abstract

Quiet quitting (QQ), an emerging challenge in the hospitality sector, refers to employees reducing their contributions to the bare minimum required by their job roles, often in response to exhaustion, lack of acknowledgement, or organizational incompetence. While past investigations have framed QQ as a marker of disengagement or job dissatisfaction, less is known about why employees react differently to similar workplace tensions. This paper aims to address the gap by investigating the role of temperament in shaping QQ behaviors. Drawing on Keirsey’s Temperament Theory, which explores whether dispositional characteristics impact how employees interpret and handle disengagement. Using a qualitative methodology, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 50 hotel employees across India. Thematic analysis identified several temperamental patterns behind QQ responses. Rational types disengaged strategically by stifling innovation, while Idealists withdrew emotionally from workplace bonds and experienced identity loss. Guardians demonstrated decreased conscientiousness, negligent compliance, and strict role boundaries. Artisans displayed declining spontaneity, minimal innovation, and avoidance of extra-role behaviors. These results imply that temperament, independent of contextual cues, regulates the shape, speed, and style of disengagement. The study advances organizational psychology by presenting a temperament-based typology of quiet quitters, offering a more nuanced perspective of disengagement in the hospitality industry. In addition to theory, it offers temperament-sensitive interventions: for Rationals, autonomy-supportive decision-making; for Idealists, mentorship and recognition systems; for Guardians, structured assurances and role clarity; and for Artisans, enriched, creative job tasks. Addressing quiet quitting through such targeted measures can strengthen workforce resilience and reduce disengagement in demanding service contexts.

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