What is Quiet Firing?

Many of us have heard of quiet quitting, but quiet firing is trending too. If your manager’s attitude toward you has shifted and/or you feel your work is criticized more than usual, you might be experiencing it.?

By Brandi Fowler

Quiet quitting gained momentum after social media creator @zaidleppelin’s TikTok video , which showed him talking about the concept of not going above and beyond at work, went viral in July.

But now, quiet firing is steaming ahead.?

“The phenomenon is described as the act of intentionally treating workers badly so that they eventually leave their jobs,” LinkedIn News reported.??

“I would describe it as a process where a company or an individual manager doesn't want to have a tough conversation with someone and maybe wants that person to leave, but doesn't want to take the action or the care to dive into whether that is the right next step,” said manager Method founder and CEO Ashley Herd .

In turn, the manager might “take things away, change the person’s title to signal a demotion, or assign them the worst projects in hopes the person will [quit] and make your life easier as a manager,” Herd said.?

Work It Daily founder and CEO J.T. O’Donnell said she saw an uptick in quiet firing.?

“We have seen people saying, ‘My boss is suddenly really unhappy with my work, and suddenly nitpicking everything’ or ‘It went from just fine to I can't seem to do anything right,’” O’Donnell said.?

“That is generally when we say, ‘Look, there is a good chance you have some quiet firing going on right now,” O’Donnell said. “We talk them through it, what to do, how to try to have a constructive conversation with the manager, but also really get them thinking about looking for a new job.

“Because if the decision has already mentally been made by that manager, it is pretty difficult to change their mind, especially if they have been given the financial pressure to make cuts.”

Signs of Quiet Firing

Quiet firing tends to stem from a lack of communication. While you won’t have direct feedback your job may be terminated soon, other signs can signal it might be approaching.?

“It just feels like a switch flipped,” O’Donnell said. “All of a sudden, the boss is becoming critical, is not making eye contact, is sending emails that talk about things they have done wrong, and people are just so confused.?

“They are like, ‘What happened? How did my performance just fail suddenly overnight?’If you are feeling that, something is going on. You are not dreaming it, you are not making it up. A lot of times people say, ‘Well, it'll pass. Maybe he's just, or she's got something going on.’ But if it is persistent you are definitely on the block for quiet firing.”

Note that not every organization has well-developed leadership training and HR training with managers to help guide them as they make cuts, O’Donnell said.?

“So instead, you have a manager who has been told, 'Hey, you need to cut your expenses by 20% or your staff by 20%.' They feel so guilty that it is easier for them, oddly, to sit there and suddenly blame, and feel like, ‘Well, that person actually hasn't been doing a good job.’?

“In their mind, they can blame the employee, as opposed to taking ownership that the business hasn't been run correctly. They are suddenly given this mandate, and they didn't know they were doing anything wrong. So, it is just a weird deflection that occurs by people who aren't well supported or well equipped to deal with the shifting economic times.”

What to Do If You Experience Quiet Firing

Have a conversation with your boss if you think you are experiencing quiet firing.?

“While an employee shouldn't be the one that has to initiate that conversation, if you want to and take hold of your career, then have that conversation,” Herd said. “Say, ‘I'm committed to being here, I'm excited. But there are some things that send signals that something is going on, or I have not performed at a level you want. So, I wanted to talk through that and see if that is something that is happening or if it is something I'm perceiving.’”?

Talking to your boss can help determine what is happening, and it can be a constructive way to obtain some closure if let go later, Collins said.?

“Put together a three-column list,” Collins said. “Column one is all the tasks that you were hired to do. What was your original job description? Column two is all the additional things you have taken on, all the additional tasks and responsibilities you have taken on beyond that. Column three is some of the additional things you could see yourself taking on that would create more value for the organization if some of the other tasks were taken off your plate.”

In your meeting with your boss, you could also say, “‘Look, I know things are challenging right now. I'm trying to be as efficient with the use of my time as possible. I wanted to go over this with you,’” Collins said.?

“‘This is what I was hired to do, these are all the additional things I'm doing these days, and here are some additional things I thought could be of real value if there was a way to shuffle around my time. What do you think? Does this make sense to you? How do you feel about that? Is there anything you want me to shift in what I'm working on?’”

Sometimes managers don’t realize all the additional tasks you are doing, Collins said, especially if you are a remote worker.?

“Having that very positive, friendly conversation around, ‘Here are all the things that I do,’ can trigger them to be like, ‘Oh wait, I forgot this person does all these different things. Maybe I don't want to lose them,’” Collins said.

“I know it sounds crazy, but I have seen it happen. Then all of a sudden, you are not on the block anymore, because you are doing some tasks they don't want back on their plate when they let you go.”?

Next, check in with yourself to see if you want to stay at your company, even if you can resolve the issue.?

Ask yourself how your job makes you feel, if you are doing work you love at your job, etc., Herd said.?

“If your overall sense is frustration, then we all have one life to live and have to make our choices,” Herd said.?

Start Looking for Another Job If You are Experiencing Quiet Firing

It also cannot hurt to start looking for a new job when you see signs of quiet firing.?

“Everyone has to read through the red flag sometimes,” Herd said. “Trust your gut.”?

It can take time to find a new job, so applying for work as soon as you feel a quiet firing-esque shift from your boss can help too.?

“When you are looking for something specific, there are steps you need to take to get that process going,” O’Donnell said. “So, start looking sooner than later. I've had people say, ‘Oh, I couldn't do it. I wanted to try to make it work,’ and the number one regret they have is, ‘I should've absolutely started to look for work when it happened.’ It takes time to get hired again.”

What to Do If Fired After Experiencing Quiet Firing

If fired after experiencing quiet firing, first “recognize first how that feels,” Herd said.?

“You are a person, and it's totally normal to feel these feelings, but you will move on and things will get better,” Herd said.?

Look at social media posts from people who talk about their experiences being fired or laid off. Usually, people will say it was a negative experience at first, but it became a positive situation when it led them to a different path or job they are far happier with, Herd said.?

If let go, take time to breathe and then make an inventory of what you like to do and what you don’t, so you can be as deliberate as possible in your job search.?

Next, develop a plan for interviews for how you will explain why you left your last job.?

“You have to make peace with what you [will] say,” Collins said. “A lot of times people just dive right into looking for work, and they get into that job interview. [When asked] ‘Why did you leave your last job?’ They are a deer in headlights. They either don't say enough or they say too much, and both of them ruin the situation.”

If any other people were laid off, it is key to include that in your answer.?

What Managers Can Do Instead of Quiet Firing

Although layoffs and terminations occur, managers can avoid quiet firing by having regular check-ins with employees, Herd said. “Oftentimes, people don't have one-on-one time with their manager. On the manager's side, check in with the employee and say, ‘How are you doing? How is your workload looking?’”

Employees can ask questions too to prevent quiet firing, Herd said.?

“If either side is having issues, they feel like it is a safe place to share or they have concrete steps to share,” Herd said.?

Quiet firing can be disheartening and it is important to pay attention to signs it may be happening to you. Follow your intuition, look out for negative shifts in your manager’s attitude toward you, and schedule a meeting to discuss the shift in a constructive way. Also, don’t hesitate to start looking for a new job.

Top Takeaways

What is Quiet Firing?

• Pay attention to signs you may be experiencing quiet firing.?
• Schedule a meeting with your boss to discuss new - and constant - criticism of your work, assignment of unfavorable tasks, etc., in a constructive way.?
• Start looking for a job as soon as you start experiencing quiet firing.??
• Communication is key. Managers should have regular check-ins with employees to help avoid quiet firing.?