quiet firing

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/ˈkwaɪət ˈfaɪrɪŋ/
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The subtle practice of pushing an employee to leave without formally dismissing them.
Practice using quiet firing in conversation until it feels natural

Similar words

managing out
forced resignation
constructive dismissal

Meanings

Subtly pushing an employee out

business
informal
The practice of making an employee's working life worse or withholding support and opportunities so that they resign without being formally fired.

Examples

  • Cutting her hours without explanation felt like quiet firing.
  • Is the company restructuring, or is this quiet firing?
  • His manager denied every training request, which colleagues saw as quiet firing.
  • Not every missed promotion is quiet firing, but a sustained pattern can be a warning sign.
  • The report described quiet firing as a failure of honest management.
  • After months of being excluded from meetings, she wondered whether she was experiencing quiet firing.

Similar words

managing out
forced resignation
constructive dismissal

Etymology

A transparent combination of quiet, suggesting something indirect or unannounced, and firing, meaning dismissal from a job. The phrase became widely used in 2022 as a counterpart to quiet quitting.

FAQ

What does quiet firing mean?

Quiet firing means subtly making an employee's job worse or withholding support so that they leave voluntarily.

What are signs of quiet firing?

Possible signs include unexplained cuts to hours or duties, exclusion from meetings, impossible targets, and repeated denial of feedback or development.

Is quiet firing the same as quiet quitting?

No. Quiet firing describes pressure from an employer, while quiet quitting describes an employee limiting work to what the job requires.

Is quiet firing always deliberate?

The phrase often implies intent, but it is also used for persistent managerial neglect that has the effect of pushing someone out.

Is quiet firing the same as constructive dismissal?

Not necessarily. Constructive dismissal is a legal concept with specific tests, while quiet firing is a broader informal workplace term.

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