Quiet firing, a term that has emerged in recent discussions about workplace dynamics, refers to the subtle, often indirect, ways in which organizations push employees out of their roles. Unlike traditional firing, which is direct and straightforward, quiet firing employs passive-aggressive tactics such as giving employees unmanageable workloads, excluding them from key projects, or micromanaging them to the point of frustration. While this approach might seem like an easy way to avoid confrontation, it can have detrimental effects on both the organization and its leaders. This article delves into why quiet firing hurts organizations, impacting outcomes, deflating employee morale, damaging their reputation, and costing money.
How Quiet Firing Can Hurt an Organization
Impacting Outcomes
When organizations quietly fire employees, they risk losing valuable talent. These employees often possess unique skills, knowledge, and experience that are crucial to the success of the organization. By pushing them out, organizations not only lose these assets but also disrupt workflows and project timelines. The remaining employees may struggle to fill the gaps, leading to decreased productivity and suboptimal outcomes.
Deflating Employee Morale
Quiet firing creates a toxic work environment where employees feel undervalued and unsupported. This can lead to a significant drop in morale, as employees become disengaged and demotivated. When workers see their colleagues being quietly pushed out, it fosters an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty. This can lead to increased stress, reduced job satisfaction, and higher turnover rates, all of which are detrimental to organizational health.
Hindering Reputation
Organizations that engage in quiet firing risk damaging their reputation. Word spreads quickly in professional networks, and employees who feel mistreated are likely to share their experiences. This can lead to negative reviews on platforms like Glassdoor, making it difficult for the organization to attract top talent. A tarnished reputation can also affect relationships with clients, partners, and other stakeholders, further harming the organization's prospects.
Increased Expenses
Quiet firing is not a cost-effective strategy. The process of hiring and training new employees is expensive and time-consuming. When experienced employees are pushed out, organizations must invest in recruiting and onboarding replacements. Additionally, the loss of institutional knowledge can lead to costly mistakes and inefficiencies. In the long run, quiet firing can result in higher operational costs and reduced profitability.
‘Relational Leadership’ Makes a Real Difference
What do you do when an organization is struggling with trust and morale issues? Here are three fundamentals:
Show your employees that you care for them as people by putting them first - in every aspect of your organization - technology, processes, and communications.
Listen! Be seen and make yourself available to your employees, & talk about life outside work – this was extremely important during the pandemic.
Invest your time in and on your most valuable resource – the people of your workforce – from office hours to walkabouts & publicly acknowledge the work and ideas of the employees.
And KEEP DOING IT over and over again.
The people who work for you want to know that you, their leader, is a human being – a person. And they want to know that you care about them as another human being – not just a part of the organizational machine.
Quiet firing might seem like an easy way to manage difficult employees, but it is a short-sighted approach that can have far-reaching negative consequences. Quiet firing hurts organizations and their leaders by impacting outcomes, deflating employee morale, hindering reputation, and costing money. Instead, leaders should focus on understanding employee needs, strategically allocating resources, building strong relationships, and supporting and developing their teams. By doing so, they can create a positive work environment that fosters engagement, productivity, and long-term success.
Relational leadership and management authority Cheryl L. Mason, J.D. is a TEDx speaker, author and CEO and Chief Catalyst of Catalyst Leadership Management—a firm helping CEOs, senior leaders, companies and teams lead with authenticity and empathy while leveraging strategy, analytics, vision and change management to realize record-breaking results. As the fourth Presidentially-appointed, Senate-confirmed—and the first woman and military spouse—to serve as the CEO /Chairman of the VA Board of Veterans' Appeals, The Honorable Cheryl L. Mason has a proven track record of leading with an impactful morale-boosting, trust-based, people-centric approach. Mason also authored the acclaimed book “Dare to Relate: Leading with a Fierce Heart” centered on cultivating strong workforce relationships, She can be reached online at www.catalystleadershipmgmt.com.
