Have you ever seen a boss stop giving tasks to an employee and avoid their emails? Sounds weird, right? But, it's actually more common than you think! This is what is known as quiet firing.
Quiet firing happens when the employer makes the workplace unpleasant and downgrades the employee's role to encourage them to resign on their own instead of being outright fired. Quiet firing can create an isolating or awkward environment.
Identify the signs of quiet firing and know how to get through the situation if you or someone you know is being affected.
What are some early signs of quiet firing?
If you notice that these things are happening, they could be early indicators that quiet firing is about to happen:
Less constructive feedback/fewer check-ins: Your manager stops proactively checking in with you and gives unhelpful feedback (e.g. biweekly 1:1s get cancelled and your manager dodges your questions regarding feedback for your work).
Exclusion from projects and decisions: You're no longer in the loop with the projects you've been working on and don't have a say in the things you used to (e.g. other team members hold meetings without you).
Unclear goals: Expectations are unclear and you're often left in the dark on what to do (e.g. vague project goals like "just make it more detailed").
Quiz
Which of these scenarios would fall under quiet firing?
Why do companies engage in quiet firing?
Quiet firing might seem like a strange concept — why not fire someone directly?
Why they do it: to prevent a bad public image and weaker recruiting. Massive company layoffs often make news headlines and give the company a bad image, which leads to fewer people wanting to apply to their future job openings.
The result: low morale. Targeted employees will feel less motivated to do their jobs, while surrounding employees will lose trust and respect towards management, affecting the company as a whole.
How to address and respond to quiet firing
If you suspect that quiet firing is happening to you, it's a good idea to take notes to keep track of what's happening. Write down the missed meetings, lost responsibilities, etc. Having things documented gives you solid proof later on if you choose to approach HR with the situation.
If you feel comfortable enough around your coworkers, try and figure out if they're being treated similarly. This could help you get a better understanding of whether you're being targeted or if it's happening to multiple people.
Finally, start planning your next move. Whether that means moving to another job within or outside of the company, prepare for the future. To get the ball rolling:
Update your resume with all the recent work that you've done.
Think about who can be a solid job reference for you when you move on to your next role.
Make sure that your finances are in order! It may take some time before your next position begins, so it's a good idea to make sure you have enough money to tide you over.
Take Action
Do you think quiet firing is about to happen to you? Take a look at this list to figure out how to take action:
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