We have all heard of quiet quitting, but what is quiet firing and why would a manager choose this route?
Quiet quitting, that is the practice of doing only the bare minimum at work, has become a widely understood and discussed phenomenon in recent years, but what of quiet firing?
Dr Rosina Racioppi, the CEO and president of Women Unlimited, a leader development platform, defines quiet firing as a process whereby an employer subtly forces an employee to leave by negatively affecting their working conditions.
Quiet firing can be achieved “by reducing their responsibilities, excluding them from projects, denying raises or promotions or giving them poor performance reviews without concrete feedback or examples to back up reasoning”, explained Racioppi. “These unfavourable work conditions eventually cause the employee to quit their position.”
Whose problem is it?
Whereas anyone in the working environment can be subject to an employer’s attempts at quiet firing, Racioppi finds that women and minority groups are disproportionately affected in comparison to their male co-workers.
“Research has found that while men receive aspirational feedback and career guidance that helps them prepare for future promotions, women often receive transactional feedback on work already completed.” The lack of feedback and coaching towards future opportunities often results in women being relegated to non-promotional roles at best.
Furthermore, the consequences of quiet firing in the workforce can be far-reaching, affecting not only the person at the centre of the issue, but other co-workers. Racioppi explained the various behaviours leading up to a quiet firing damage more than morale.
Employers run the risk of negatively impacting company culture, employee wellness and the retention of key talent. “Who wants to stay in an organisation that does not treat their employees well?” Racioppi says.
Warning signs
For Racioppi, the warning signs that an employer may be using tactics associated with quiet firing in the workplace may not be blatantly obvious and could in fact be quite subtle.
“Quiet firing might stem from a simple lack of communication and slowly grow into more impactful experiences, like being excluded from important meetings and projects, reduced responsibilities with no explanation, or the employee might face an unreasonable workload with unrealistic deadlines designed for failure,” she said.
Employees may also find that their ideas and contributions to the wider team are being ignored or that their co-workers are receiving credit for work they themselves are performing. “Additionally, there may be increased micromanagement or undeserved scrutiny of the employee’s work, leading the person to feel like they have no other option but to quit.
“We hear from women how they are often not included in key meetings or meetings with managers are inconsistent. In our work, we help women create strategies to ensure they are having critical conversations with key leaders to ensure they are not subjected to these behaviours,” said Racioppi.
What is the rationale?
The decision to quietly fire someone, rather than engage with them openly and honestly, is a definitive and frequently damaging choice, so why would an employer decide this was the best route?
“Many people dislike conflict, managers included, and some will do whatever they can to avoid it at all costs,” explained Racioppi. It can be difficult to address performance issues directly, often leading to uncomfortable conversations that managers would prefer to avoid. “By quietly pushing an employee to leave, managers can sidestep these uncomfortable or confrontational discussions entirely.”
She stated there can also be an element of managers being unequipped to provide developmental feedback, particularly if the person is different from them, for example in terms of race or gender, creating a gulf in communication.
So what’s to be done? For Racioppi, mentoring and training programmes aimed at managers are crucial. “Managers need to be properly trained in conflict resolution, including how to share constructive feedback and deliver proper goal-setting for employees. Additionally, soft skills training in interpersonal communication and enhanced empathy can positively impact managers’ interactions with their teams,” she said.
She concluded that for a harmonious and smoothly operating workplace managers should be supported in better understanding how to coach and mentor people who come from different backgrounds to them.
“By implementing these practices, employers can equip managers with the tools and support needed to manage their teams effectively, foster a positive and productive work environment and eliminate the need for quiet firing altogether.”
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