HOUSTON — We’ve talked about quiet quitting -- when burned-out workers don’t quit but don’t do anything extra. They show up and do their jobs with no overtime and no extra duties.
The term has gone viral as workers revolt against the so-called “hustle culture.” The viral trend has sparked a new conversation about work-life balance and employee rights.
In response, people have taken to social media to talk about “quiet firing.” That is being described as employers doing the bare legal minimum, sometimes to get unwanted workers to quit. So, what does that look like? That can mean denying raises for years at a time, piling on work without giving the resources needed, or picking favorites and ignoring everyone else. Basically, passive-aggressive tactics that make you quit or really want to.
While these tactics are obviously not new, the phenomenon is getting a lot of attention. People are heading online to share their own experiences with quiet firing. There could also be an increase in “quiet firing.” Worklife reports Google searches for “when to fire someone” are up 180%. This is alarming some human resources professionals who are trying to retain talent in a tight job market.