I Did What Needed to Be Done: Quiet Quitting During Internships

Anette Kaagaard Kristensen; Martin Lund Kristensen

doi:10.1108/IJOA-12-2025-6329

I Did What Needed to Be Done: Quiet Quitting During Internships

Anette Kaagaard Kristensen^*
, Martin Lund Kristensen

^*Corresponding author

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

9 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Purpose
This paper aims to explore how workplace hazing fosters interns’ quiet-quitting-like modes of relating in everyday supervisory relationships.

Design/methodology/approach
The study draws on qualitative interviews with 42 nursing interns and was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.

Findings
Two sub-themes were identified. “Withdrawing to Endure” illustrates how internships are reinterpreted from developmental learning spaces into relations that must be endured, leading interns to narrow their availability while remaining present. “Preserving Dignity” shows how interns reorganise their participation by delimiting tasks and selectively withdrawing from interactions undermining their professional becoming.

Originality/value
The paper extends quiet quitting research beyond employment relationships by introducing internships as a critical empirical setting and by conceptualising quiet quitting as a relationally organised mode of participating in low-quality work relationships rather than as individual disengagement.

Original language	English
Journal	International Journal of Organizational Analysis
Volume	Early view
Number of pages	12
ISSN	1934-8835
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOA-12-2025-6329
Publication status	Published - 2026

Keywords

Internships
Quiet quitting
Relational quality
Workplace hazing

Access to Document

10.1108/IJOA-12-2025-6329

I Did What Needed to Be Done IJOA without yellow markingAccepted author manuscript, 297 KBLicence: CC BY-NC

Citation Styles

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title = "I Did What Needed to Be Done: Quiet Quitting During Internships",

abstract = "Purpose This paper aims to explore how workplace hazing fosters interns{\textquoteright} quiet-quitting-like modes of relating in everyday supervisory relationships. Design/methodology/approach The study draws on qualitative interviews with 42 nursing interns and was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Findings Two sub-themes were identified. “Withdrawing to Endure” illustrates how internships are reinterpreted from developmental learning spaces into relations that must be endured, leading interns to narrow their availability while remaining present. “Preserving Dignity” shows how interns reorganise their participation by delimiting tasks and selectively withdrawing from interactions undermining their professional becoming. Originality/value The paper extends quiet quitting research beyond employment relationships by introducing internships as a critical empirical setting and by conceptualising quiet quitting as a relationally organised mode of participating in low-quality work relationships rather than as individual disengagement.",

keywords = "Internships, Quiet quitting, Relational quality, Workplace hazing",

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year = "2026",

doi = "10.1108/IJOA-12-2025-6329",

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journal = "International Journal of Organizational Analysis",

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AU - Kristensen, Anette Kaagaard

AU - Kristensen, Martin Lund

PY - 2026

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N2 - Purpose This paper aims to explore how workplace hazing fosters interns’ quiet-quitting-like modes of relating in everyday supervisory relationships. Design/methodology/approach The study draws on qualitative interviews with 42 nursing interns and was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Findings Two sub-themes were identified. “Withdrawing to Endure” illustrates how internships are reinterpreted from developmental learning spaces into relations that must be endured, leading interns to narrow their availability while remaining present. “Preserving Dignity” shows how interns reorganise their participation by delimiting tasks and selectively withdrawing from interactions undermining their professional becoming. Originality/value The paper extends quiet quitting research beyond employment relationships by introducing internships as a critical empirical setting and by conceptualising quiet quitting as a relationally organised mode of participating in low-quality work relationships rather than as individual disengagement.

AB - Purpose This paper aims to explore how workplace hazing fosters interns’ quiet-quitting-like modes of relating in everyday supervisory relationships. Design/methodology/approach The study draws on qualitative interviews with 42 nursing interns and was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Findings Two sub-themes were identified. “Withdrawing to Endure” illustrates how internships are reinterpreted from developmental learning spaces into relations that must be endured, leading interns to narrow their availability while remaining present. “Preserving Dignity” shows how interns reorganise their participation by delimiting tasks and selectively withdrawing from interactions undermining their professional becoming. Originality/value The paper extends quiet quitting research beyond employment relationships by introducing internships as a critical empirical setting and by conceptualising quiet quitting as a relationally organised mode of participating in low-quality work relationships rather than as individual disengagement.

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KW - Quiet quitting

KW - Relational quality

KW - Workplace hazing

U2 - 10.1108/IJOA-12-2025-6329

DO - 10.1108/IJOA-12-2025-6329

M3 - Journal article

SN - 1934-8835

VL - Early view

JO - International Journal of Organizational Analysis

JF - International Journal of Organizational Analysis

ER -