'Quiet Firing' Is Taking the Workplace by Storm. What Is It Exactly?

Just when you thought it was safe to quiet quit, employers may be forcing you to quit quit.

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ByJonathan Small

By now, you're probably familiar with "quiet quitting," the workplace trend popular with Gen Z that puts mental health above on-the-job burnout.

But many workers say there's a new buzz term floating around social media that's less about protecting your peace of mind and more about nudging you towards insanity—"quiet firing."

So what exactly does quiet firing mean?

Put simply, quiet firing is when employers intentionally treat you badly so that you will leave your job. It's sort of like someone who wants to break up with but doesn't have the courage to do it themselves.

Examples of quiet firing include: "going years without a raise or promotion, shifting responsibilities toward tasks that require less experience, or a deliberate withdrawal of development and leadership opportunities," according to a post onLinkedIn News.

A recent article in HuffPostlists several more signs you're about to get quiet fired:

  • Your boss is MIA for much-needed conversations.

  • You are placed on an unreasonable performance improvement plan.

Eighty Percent of Workers Have Seen Quiet Firing In Action

Quiet firing is undoubtedly clever wordplay, but is it a real thing? LinkedIn News conducteda polllast month to answer that question, asking if quiet firing was something people experienced.

Forty-eight percent of those surveyed say that they've seen quiet firing at work. An additional 38 percent say that "It's real, and I've faced it." Only 13 percent said the quiet firing "is not a thing."

Jonathan Small

Entrepreneur Staff

Editor in Chief of Green Entrepreneur

Jonathan Small is editor-in-chief ofGreen Entrepreneur, a vertical from Entrepreneur Media focused on the intersection of sustainability and business. He is also an award-winning journalist, producer, and podcast host of the upcoming True Crime series, Dirty Money, andWrite About Nowpodcasts. Jonathan is the founder ofStrike Fire Productions, a premium podcast production company. He had held editing positions atGlamour,Stuff,Fitness, andTwistMagazines. His stories have appeared inThe New York Times, TV Guide,Cosmo,Details, andGood Housekeeping. Previously, Jonathan served as VP of Content for the GSN (the Game Show Network), where he produced original digital video series.

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