This fall, the world of work is full of neologisms and anglicisms. We add one to the list, explaining what is the quiet firing.
Quiet quitting: it's hard to escape the buzzword of the fall. After having given cold sweats to bosses and other heads of government, the media and social networks are indeed teeming with testimonies of employees admitting to only doing what their job requires of them. No more and no less than the union minimum. Few posts, however, to denounce the quiet firing.
Behind this new anglicism lies a phenomenon that is far from recent. But it is no less worrying. A relative of the term "closeting", quiet firing consists of demotivating employees until they have no other choice but to leave their position. In short, a pushes to resign. Greatness aside - in reference to the Great Resignation that has been so much in the news.
It must be said that firing an employee cannot be improvised. Also, many employers opt for quiet firing for the sake of convenience. Or is it because of incompetence? Motivating your teams can be just as tricky as properly firing a protected employee. And many managers simply don't know how to do it. But they are not lacking in imagination when it comes to showing an employee the way out when he or she no longer fits in.
Among the most common ploys? Refuse any reasonable request for a raise... but forget to count overtime. Granting time off... but using the time to make major changes to the employee's position. Systematically pointing out the employee's mistakes... but never missing an opportunity to take credit for what should be his or her own... Even more devious are those who directly influence the work environment collaborators. The metaphor of the broom closet as office is not just a caricature, or a film. For the employee concerned, it also means questionable hygiene conditions and unsatisfactory air exchange requirements. So the next time you have a headache in the office but can't open the window, ask yourself the right questions. It may be time for you to quit your job... or have a conversation with your supervisor!
Marianne Fougère