Quiet Quitting vs. Quiet Firing: Which One Should Employers Embrace?

Quiet firing is being looked at as an easy mechanism to make quiet quitters leave their jobs voluntarily by using passive-aggressive tactics. 

Instead of seeing this new phenomenon as a counterattack to quiet quitting, HR should see this as a call to improve employee engagement(opens in a new tab) and communication for a positive workplace.

Outrightly quiet firing unwanted employees will only promote “a culture of quiet quitting.” This is just going to become another vicious circle. So, if employers really want to address this issue, they must first understand the implications of quiet firing.

Is ‘quiet firing’ the solution to ‘quiet quitting’?

It needs to be identified and controlled right now! Let’s begin by taking a look at signs of quiet firing.

What are the signs of quiet firing?

• Tasks being reassigned to other employees
• Withholding feedback from employees
• Assigning tasks that are beneath an employee’s job description or skill set while others continue to grow and learn
• Lack of communication or check-ins

The root cause behind these actions is that leaders are unprepared to address performance issues and lack transparency. 

So, instead of ignoring the quiet quitters of an organization, employers must learn to understand the “why” behind this employee behavior.  

Learn from quiet quitting instead of resorting to quiet firing

Here are some quick pointers on how managers and leaders can prevent quiet firing from being normalized in the workplace.   

1. Practice healthy communication 

If a culture of regular check-ins and transparent feedback is not established, employees don’t get the chance to improve and learn from their peers. 

Creating a safe environment for open communication can make employees feel comfortable reaching out to team members, their managers, and leaders. This would help them identify work performance bottlenecks and take corrective action.

2. Encourage transparency  

If you feel there are gaps in employee performance, you must address them right there and then instead of sidelining them. 

Don’t let others make assumptions. Instead, make your team aware of their strengths and underlying issues to keep them engaged and informed. 

3. It’s okay to be informal! 

Employees are more than just their job titles. Life outside of work can often compete with workplace priorities. Conducting informational discussions or even real-life meet-ups can go a long way in understanding your team members personally.    

By getting to know your team members informally, you’ll create more meaningful relationships that contribute to positive work culture. This way, you’ll become partners instead of adversaries when challenges arise. 

Blog summary

• Nearly 1 in 3 managers admit to quiet firing, and 83% of workers say they've witnessed or experienced it firsthand.
• Signs of quiet firing include reassigning tasks, withholding feedback, giving work below someone's skill level, and cutting off regular communication or check-ins.
• Quiet firing isn't a response to quiet quitting, it's a sign of weak leadership avoiding a difficult conversation.
• Practicing healthy communication, encouraging transparency about performance gaps, and being willing to connect informally with the team are the real ways to prevent it.