Many employees are using a tactic called “quiet quitting” to set realistic expectations within their jobs. An employee who “quiet quits” is working the bare minimum that’s required of them to keep their jobs without doing more while looking for better-paying jobs.
Employers are also using a technique called “quiet firing,” which can be unlawful. Quiet firing is the act of making a workplace unbearable for an employee in the hopes that they will quit. This may save employees from paying unemployment or severance packages to employees, saving businesses money in the process.
If you think your employer is trying to quiet fire you, you may need to look for these signs:
You’re given too much/little work
An employer may be giving you so much work that it’s impossible to meet demands. You may miss deadlines and your quality of work may drop, causing you to look for new, healthier job opportunities. Alternatively, you may be given so little work that you start to question your role in a business.
Your work is being overly criticized
Your work may have had high remarks for several years until recently. Without any reason, the same work you’ve been doing may score low on job performance reviews. These poor performance reviews may be used as a reason to exclude you from raises or promotions.
Your communication with others is limited
Part of your job may require constant communication with others. A sudden removal from group chats, meetings and emails may make it harder for you to do your work. As a result, you may be left out of the loop of large projects.
Knowing your legal rights if you suspect you’re being quiet fired could help you protect your interests.