The Consequences of the Hustle Culture

  • Author: Scott McKain
Reading time: 3 min
  • Word Count: 571
Read the news article

In other words, workers burned out by the “hustle culture” so recently prevalent have decided to either quit their jobs — or perhaps even more damaging to businesses — disengage themselves from where they are working. In a brilliant article in a recent edition of the Wall St. Journal, Lindsay Ellis and Angela Yang reveal that what we’ve been calling the Great Resignation could lead to something else entirely.

It is, they suggest, “Quiet Quitting.” As the article in the Journal states, ” It isn’t about getting off the company payroll, these employees say. In fact, the idea is to stay on it—but focus your time on the things you do outside of the office.”

The article continues, “Across generations, U.S. employee engagement is falling, according to survey data from Gallup, but Gen Z and younger millennials, born in 1989 and after, reported the lowest engagement of all during the first quarter at 31%.”

WITH EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT RATES AT AN ALL-TIME LOW, BUSINESSES NEED TO FIND A WAY TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM, OR THEY’LL FACE EVEN MORE TURNOVER AND DISENGAGEMENT IN THE COMING YEARS. I’ve written about my issues with the “hustle culture” many times.

In my opinion, this pushy, “bro” approach in leadership and sales has only made money for the hustlers trying to sell you a program or training on how to do it their way. It does not work for the customers of their programs who turn off their prospects with their pseudo-domineering approach or prospective employees who do not desire to work for a tyrant.

The Consequences of the Hustle Culture

What hustle culture has done is to create a generation of people who feel like they can never do enough, that they’re always falling behind, and that if they’re not hustling 24/7/365, then they’re simply not trying hard enough. This is not sustainable. It’s not possible to hustle all the time without burning out. And when you burn out, you either have to take a break or leave altogether.

This recalibration of the work/life balance is part of what we see with the Great Resignation — people are leaving their jobs because they can’t handle the hustle anymore. They need a break, but often times they don’t know how to take one without feeling like they’re giving up.

IF YOU’RE A BUSINESS OWNER, IT’S TIME TO LOOK AT YOUR CULTURE AND SEE IF HUSTLE IS REALLY WHAT YOU WANT TO ENCOURAGE. IF NOT, IT IS TIME TO MAKE SOME CHANGES.

Something many missed in my work about creating distinction is this: you cannot attain distinction by demand. Hustlers cannot legitimately claim, “I am distinctive!” Your customers and community determine that level of marketplace uniqueness. 

Not you. All hustle does is create a lot of noise that drowns out the signal of what actually makes you distinctive. It is the antithesis of sustainable marketing, and it will, eventually, lead to the Quiet Quitting we’re seeing today. If you want to create a sustainable business, it’s time to ditch hustle culture and focus on creating something truly distinctive. Your customers will thank you for it.

What do you think? Have you been affected by hustle culture? Let Scott McKain know. Want to discover a sustainable way to create distinction — and distinctive engagement with your team? Let me know.

Contact us at Speakers Inc and view WeSpeak Global

Speaker Listing

Was this article helpful?

Further articles you may enjoy:

  • (8)

If you’ve been having trouble concentrating recently, you’re not alone and here is an article on How to Conquer Burnout at Work. A recent survey conducted by FlexJobs and Mental Health America found that 75% of people have had work-related burnout, with 40% feeling burned out during the pandemic. And according to a July MetLife […]

  • December 20, 2022
  • (10)

Go ahead and search ‘happy employees lead to successful companies’ and you will be bombarded with consistent uplifting messages about employees and happiness (LinkedIn, Fast Company, Business Insider, Fortune). Just about every content piece promotes employee happiness benefiting organizations at large. That is why, contrary to consistent media, I couldn’t believe that Phil Rosenzweig in The Halo Effect completely disagreed. With the […]

  • December 13, 2022
  • (17)

How to Craft Powerful Stories that Can Drive Culture Change There is an old adage that says: IF YOU WANT TO LEARN ABOUT A CULTURE, LISTEN TO THE STORIES. IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE A CULTURE, CHANGE THE STORIES. I had a first-hand experience with this very early on in my career. The MD of a […]

  • January 16, 2023
  • (28)

Beyond the Bio: What Event Planners Really Need to Know Before Booking a Keynote Speaker “It’s not just about credentials. It’s about connection.” When organizing an event, selecting the keynote speaker can feel like scanning through a sea of shining bios and polished headshots. You’re presented with bestselling authors, award-winning professionals, and thought leaders who’ve […]

  • June 20, 2025
  • (8)

The Future of Thought Leadership: How Visionary Speakers Are Shaping the World In a rapidly evolving world, thought leadership has become more than just a buzzword—it’s a necessity. Businesses, organizations, and individuals seek guidance from those who can provide innovative insights, challenge conventional thinking, and inspire action. But what does it take to be a […]

  • March 7, 2025
  • (57)

Speakers Inc International is a Professional Speakers Bureau, based in  San Diego. Speakers Inc has branches in USA and Southern Africa. We were started a little over 24 years ago by Bronwyn. Our mission is to help our clients find the best, most suitable SPEAKERS for their particular conference or event. We represent South Africa’s […]

  • January 2, 2023
  • (38)

Unleashing Inspiration: San Diego’s motivational speakers Transforming Conferences Across California Introduction: In the vibrant landscape of California, where innovation meets ambition, San Diego stands out as a hub of motivation and inspiration. The city is home to a cadre of exceptional motivational speakers, individuals who possess the power to ignite change, foster growth, and propel […]

  • February 23, 2024
  • (3)

Hey there, are you a white person wondering what to do as an ally for Black people right now? A lot of my white friends have been asking, you’re not alone. I’ve received several questions from friends wanting to do something so I thought I’d compile these all on one place. This is the work […]

  • March 10, 2023

Subscribe to our Newsletter and get connected:

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter and stay updated.

We use Brevo as our marketing platform. By submitting this form you agree that the personal data you provided will be transferred to Brevo for processing in accordance with Brevo's Privacy Policy.

Our Mission:

We are your partner creating memorable and engaging experiences that go beyond the event itself.

© All rights reserved 2026.  Designed using Voxel

AI Assistant
Speakers Inc Logo 2024
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.