The Invisible Attrition: Toxic Leadership, Learning Potential and Quiet Quitting among Indian Millennials and Generation Z Employees

Abstract

Workplace disengagement among younger employees emerged as a structurally significant concern in contemporary Indian organizations. This study examined the relationship among toxic leadership, perceived learning potential of the workplace and quiet quitting behavioral tendencies among Millennial and Generation Z employees in the Indian private sector and investigated whether generational cohort membership produces meaningful differences in how these constructs are experienced. Using a quantitative cross-sectional design with a stratified sample of 250 private-sector employees, data were collected through three validated psychometric instruments and analysed using Pearson correlation, independent samples t-tests, and hierarchical multiple regression. Findings revealed statistically significant associations among all three variables. Toxic leadership emerged as the dominant predictor of quiet quitting, while perceived learning potential functioned as a meaningful protective resource. Generational cohorts differed significantly in toxic leadership and learning potential perceptions, yet demonstrated comparable quiet quitting tendencies, repositioning disengagement as an organizational rather than generational phenomenon.