Subtle job cuts: Inflation triggers rise in quiet firings, forcing workers to quit
(ANN/THE DAILY STAR) – With soaring inflation, employees are feeling cornered without contingency plans. Many companies exploit this by resorting to “quiet firings” instead of outright layoffs. The rise in downsizing globally has dampened the value placed on hard work.
Traditionally, companies facing financial strain consider layoffs, but some create hostile work environments to push employees to quit voluntarily, avoiding severance and legal issues.
This tactic unfortunately, is now widespread. Research shows that low pay, lack of growth opportunities and feeling disrespected are primary reasons employees quit.
Often, new policies or added responsibilities make their jobs unrecognisable, prompting resignation. Many employees are unaware of quiet firing and how to address it.
According to several service holders and professionals, this culture existed even before the global pandemic or before it was dubbed “silent/quiet firing.”
Their responses identified several common indicators suggesting an employer might be trying to “motivate” workers out the door.
Quiet firing warning signs
Changes Related to Work Responsibilities –
- Reassigning essential job duties to others.
- Demoting employees or altering their job descriptions.
- Withholding promising new opportunities.
- Setting unreasonable performance targets.
- Assigning undesirable or misaligned responsibilities.
- Blocking well-deserved promotions or raises.
- Changes related to supervisor communication —
- Neglecting career discussions or performance feedback.
- Unfair evaluations or excessively harsh criticism.
- Frequent cancellation of meetings (“ghosting”).
- Withholding critical information.
- Not crediting employees for their work or giving credit to others.
It can undoubtedly be demoralising to have gone through all those changes. The manifestation of the urge to quit is quite natural if one is left feeling unappreciated, incapable, or alienated.
Many began job hunting in response to these signs, illustrating the effectiveness — albeit immoral — of quiet firing.
What CAN you do if you’re being quietly fired?
Rationally diagnose the situation: Ensure you are not overanalysing. Consider objective circumstances that might explain your manager’s decisions.
Are the unfavourable changes affecting only you or everyone equally? Make sure you have an accurate understanding before reacting.
Knowledge is power: Familiarise yourself with company policies, promotion criteria, and industry compensation standards to determine if your experiences are typical or indicative of a quiet firing.
Document the good: Keep records of your achievements and the value you add to the company.
Document the bad: Maintain written evidence of mistreatment, including emails, feedback, and incidents where you felt undervalued.
Communicate openly: Have honest conversations with your supervisor about your concerns. Focus on specific, tactical ways your manager can improve the situation.
Seek legal help: Consult an attorney or union representative to assess the situation’s severity and decide on the best course of action. Sometimes, just knowing you have legal support can deter further mistreatment.
Quietly quit: Disengage from work and do the bare minimum while determining your next steps. This can alleviate some stress.
Take legal action: Although quiet firing makes legal recourse difficult, it’s possible. You must prove unfair alterations to your work conditions and demonstrate tangible damages.
Negotiate before quitting: If you decide to leave, negotiate your exit terms. Offer to leave voluntarily for severance, a favourable recommendation, job placement support, or other benefits. Leverage your position to secure favourable terms.
Implementing these recommendations can be challenging. Most service holders and professionals in various corporate trades try to ignore the problem, avoiding conflict.
But recognising the warning signs and knowing how to address them equips you to tackle the issue. Whether you decide to quit or stay, remember that you deserve appreciation and value in your job.
