Detail Insights

Quiet quitting is not the only “quiet” trend in modern workplaces; there is quiet firing too. Shortly after the world learned about quiet quitting, the quiet firing came to light. Even if it's not always related to someone quietly leaving their job, it could be retaliation from the management. Instead of addressing an employee, managers shirk their duties and opportunities to develop new skills in the hopes that they will self-select out. However, due to a poor management culture, an employee may still get fired despite going above and beyond their job description.

Now when the focus is shifting from employees “quiet quitting” to the trend of employers engaging in “quiet firing,” many people say that employers have been engaged in quiet firing for a long. 

According to a recent LinkedIn News poll with over 20,000 respondents, 48% of employees have seen quiet firing at work and 35% have dealt with it during their careers.

In another LinkedIn poll asking people if they had ever encountered quiet firing, 48% say that they have seen quiet firing at work, 38% say that "It's real, and they've faced it. Just 13 % believed the quiet firing "is not a thing."

Is this happening to you or someone you care about?

If so, look for its red flags.

Signs You Are Being Quiet Fired

• You are consistently passed over for promotions and raises and you are not given feedback as to why others are being promoted more quickly.
• You are offered tasks and/or shifts that are out of your abilities or that are scheduled at inconvenient hours.
• You do not receive constructive feedback on projects or assignments. 
• Your manager is not taking the time to connect with you one-on-one. 
• You are not given the knowledge you require to excel in your position.
• You are picked on in team meetings, not invited to important conversations, or your suggestions are rejected.

Now the question comes, if you’re being quiet fired, how can you handle this? 

The first and simple solution is to advocate for yourself. Talk with leadership and come together with other employees who have the same requirements as you do or who are seeking various changes in the workplace and then give it some time to the point where, you know, it is no longer the work environment that you want to stay in.

How Organizations Can Avoid Quiet Firing?

Even though the signs of quiet firing can be minor, they have major consequences. It is crucial for organizations to keep an eye out for and eliminate this damaging behavior. Below are the initiatives organizations can take to help managers serve a team effectively.

• Build a company culture that is based on respect and fairness. Quiet firing/constructive dismissal is less likely to occur in an environment that is honest and allows everyone to express opinions.
• Invest in management training. The ability to work with diverse team members and inspire more employee confidence in management should be taught to managers.
• Encourage employees to openly discuss workplace issues and voice their concerns and ideas without fear of reprisal.
• Provide support and mentorship for people managers to develop the skills necessary to prevent a quiet firing situation.

Final Words

While some may believe that quiet firing is one of the least harmful ways to get rid of a ‘challenging employee,’ doing so can result in extremely negative feedback and have an impact on a company's ability to attract and retain top talent in the future. Transparency and communication at each level of employment will clearly define expectations. By ensuring that both employers and employees are on the same page, a toxic workplace that can encourage passive-aggressive behaviour like quiet firing can be avoided.

Is quiet firing happening in your organization? If so, what efforts are you taking to prevent it? Do you need expert assistance to combat quiet firing?

To discover how we may assist you in finding solutions, get in touch with SilverPeople at enquiry@silverpeople.in

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