A coin has two sides. Likewise, quiet quitting and quiet firing are two sides of the same coin. The beginning of 2023 has been increasingly uncertain for job seekers. Trueup.io data, which tracks tech layoffs, shows that 153,005 people have been affected by 534 tech company layoffs so far this year—an estimated 2,732 people per day. Amidst the growing discourse on employee-focused issues such as ‘quiet quitting’ or ‘rage applying’, there is a need to realise that these practices or trends do not exist in a vacuum. 

The phrase, which initially became popular among millennials and Gen Z users on social media platforms like TikTok, refers to employees performing bare minimum of what their jobs entail without volunteering to do anything beyond.

One user said that ‘quiet quitting’ is simply “someone merely doing what’s in their job description and nothing more” in a post on the r/antiwork Reddit page.

The user questioned, “Why is it seemingly expected that someone should accomplish more than what they have been hired to do?”

And here comes “quiet firing”, the response to quiet quitting.

Quiet firing occurs when managers and employers create an environment at work that compels workers to leave the organisation. Similar to quiet quitting, quiet firing occurs when managers fail to go beyond their call of duty to foster a sense of community among staff members or to provide opportunities for professional development. Employers may use quiet firing as a deliberate tactic to let go of workers without drawing attention to the layoffs and to avoid the financial and legal consequences associated with terminating someone.

How to recognise if Quiet Firing is happening at your workplace

As an employee, you can spot quiet firing by noticing a widespread feeling of underestimation and restricted growth opportunities. Being given work obligations and unpleasant assignments that are outside of or below your skill set are some warning signals to look out for. Additionally, other signs include being passed over for promotions, not being appreciated for your efforts, and having your thoughts and opinions ignored; not receiving constructive criticism on assignments; changes to pay or working conditions that aren’t in line with what was advertised at the time of employment; lack of contact, infrequent check-ins, or one-on-one meetings with your supervisor; insufficient opportunities or information for success; being excluded from important meetings; being unfairly singled out for mistakes, and other similar acts of disregard. If you begin to feel this way, it is important to carefully look into the matter and understand if you are being targeted by quiet firing practices. In case you find that such situations are in fact occurring repeatedly, you should probably raise your concerns with your manager or other higher management.

Why does Quiet Firing happen?

Quiet firing could be intentional or unintentional. Intentional quiet firing is an insidious workplace tactic adopted by certain companies or managers when they wish to push out an employee—whether it be due to underperformance or personal dislike. It could also be in order to avoid conflict in addition to the financial, psychological and legal costs associated with firing someone. Companies today also want to avoid the impression that they are engaging in major layoffs. So, they create a hostile work environment that forces employees to leave “voluntarily”.

Quiet firing can also be unintentional and occur due to oversight, ignorance, or even ‘quiet quitting’ on the part of the manager. This can happen when (1) managers fail to routinely discuss the goals of their employees and adjust them accordingly, which has witnessed significant rise since the pandemic; (2) managers withhold development opportunities due to uncertainty about the future; (3) managers do not give enough timely and individualised recognition to employee achievements; (4) managers fail to routinely and transparently discuss employees’ progress, performance and more. These managers may not be actively toxic but create the same results in the end. This kind of unintentional negligence or toxicity in the workplace has unfortunately intensified in the past few years due to the prominence of remote work, where it is not easy for managers to regularly connect with and keep track of their employees.

How managers can avoid Quiet Firing

Managers and employers must begin to pay attention to how their actions can create a shift in workplace atmosphere. If the majority of your employees work remotely, it is particularly important to ensure that their online interactions with team members and other employees feel honest and welcoming. Managers must also ensure to have honest and open conversation with their employees—this can be about their goals, progress, and successes, but it doesn’t have to be only that. Other points to consider include:

• Connecting with employees and understanding them can go a long way. Make sure to include them in their goal-setting process and ask for their input during meetings.
• Create an atmosphere of shared accountability so that no one feels particularly targeted. 
• Look for opportunities to thank team members individually for their contributions as soon as they happen instead of waiting for yearly or quarterly events. 
• Creating a culture of acknowledgement of individual success, where recognition comes from other employees as well can go a long way in setting the tone of the workplace and making employees feel included, even when working from home.

Quiet firing and quiet quitting are often just two aspects of the same bottleneck. Quiet firing practices lead to a toxic cycle that only creates more quiet quitters. It is the responsibility of managers and leaders to identify and break this cycle in the workplace. Managers must pay attention to their employees, especially in a remote work setup and employers must choose to have honest conversations instead of resorting to underhanded tactics. Employees must be provided opportunities to grow within the organisation and must have input in deciding their own goals and career directions. Quiet firing may seem like a lucrative alternative for those not wanting to resort to firing an employee but, in the long run, it tarnishes the company’s reputation and destroys trust within teams.

This article is written by a member of the AIM Leaders Council. AIM Leaders Council is an invitation-only forum of senior executives in the Data Science and Analytics industry. To check if you are eligible for a membership, please fill out the form here.

The post Council Post: Enough about Quiet Quitting, Let’s Talk about Quiet Firing appeared first on Analytics India Magazine.