From Quiet Quitting to Quiet Firing

By now, most of you are familiar with quiet quitting. MedBest highlighted this workforce trend in a previous popular blog. Quiet quitting is about doing just enough at work to get by. But many workers say there’s a new workforce trend to watch and it’s not about setting limits regarding work, but more about managers pushing employees to leave.

Quiet firing is the rebranding of a concept that’s been around for quite a while. Quiet firing happens when a manager has lost faith and trust in the ability of an employee to do their job and therefore, singles them out and treats them badly to the point that they quit. Worklife reports Google searches for “when to fire someone” are up 180%. This is alarming during a time when organizations are trying to retain talent in a very tight job market.

How Do You Know if Quiet Firing is Happening to You?

–Your manager picks on you and criticizes your work. In any job, constructive feedback is helpful and can make us better at what we do. However, any manager who downplays your achievements or creates a toxic work environment for you is trying to push you out of the company.

–You’ve been passed over for raises and promotions. Have you been recognized at work lacalltoy?  If not and it’s been a long time since you were, your manager might be trying to edge you out. You can counter this by speaking with your manager to make sure you have clearly defined responsibilities for your role, and you meet them.

–Your one-to-one meetings with your manager are constantly cancelled. Meetings with your manager are crucial to discuss your job performance and any issues that arise. A company that notices underperformance but wants you to stay, will invest more time in supporting and coaching you. If meetings with your manager are constantly cancelled and you do not feel supported, you’re at risk.

–You’ve been assigned projects below your skill set. If your manager offers opportunities for career growth to your colleagues, and you receive projects that are below your skill set, it’s time to update your resume.

How Can the Practice of Quiet Firing Backfire on an Organization?

–Demonstrates weak leadership. Icing out employees really shows weak leadership. Managers who are not equipped to have performance conversations or the ability to coach or support employees who are under performing, should be removed from their role.

–Company’s reputation suffers. Having a negative employer reputation damages productivity and sales. However, as important, employers with a negative reputation risk losing some of their best employees and the ability to hire top talent.

–Operating margins take a hit. There’s a high cost to turnover. Each time an employee quits, there’s a cost to hiring, training, and retaining someone to take their place. This degrades operating margins.

As senior living executive recruiters, we’ve been asked if quiet firing really exists or if this is just a social media attention getter. It does exist. Recently, there was a poll taken about quiet firing on LinkedIn.  Of the 5000 respondents, almost 49% of people have been quietly fired…treated so badly that they had to move on. 38% of respondents observed it happening to a colleague.

Quiet firing is real but like quiet quitting, it’s all about transparency issues. Organizations should be viewing these workplace trends as an immediate call to action to improve communication and management skills across teams. Both quiet quitting and quiet firing have no place in a healthy work environment.

ABOUT JULIE RUPENSKI

Julie Rupenski is the Founder & CEO of MedBest Recruiting. Since opening its doors in 2001, Julie has grown MedBest into an award winning, multimillion-dollar national firm, garnering impressive awards including INC 5000 2021 and Tampa Bay Fast 50 2021! Julie was also named as on honoree for the “Top 100 Women Leaders in Tampa 2022″ by Women We Admire.

MedBest has gained national recognition due to Julie’s industry expertise and high level of success. Julie has an in-depth knowledge of the Senior Living Industry.  She previously worked in operations for both Senior Housing and Senior Living prior to founding MedBest. Today, Julie makes it her personal and professional mission to place qualified executives in health care positions where they have the greatest impact.

Julie’s industry articles and interviews have been published in Provider Magazine, Argentum Quarterly, LeadingAge Magazine, Florida Health Care Association, Florida Senior Living Association, Florida Assisted Living Association, LeadingAge Indiana, LeadingAge Florida, LeadingAge Oregon, Virginia Assisted Living Association and Pennsylvania Health Care Association.

Julie earned her degree in Gerontology at the University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida and continues to cultivate her career through senior living conferences, forums, trade shows, and expos.

Contact Julie Rupenski at jkrupenski@medbest.com / 727-526-1294.

ABOUT MEDBEST
MedBest is an award-winning national Executive Search Firm exclusive to the Senior Living Industry. For more than two decades, we have connected senior living organizations with exceptional senior living executive talent for both permanent and interim roles.

MedBest was named as one of American’s top companies by Inc.5000 plus we are a Tampa Fast 50 Company!