Are you being quietly hired or, worse, quietly fired?
We’ve heard many workplace trends, from the great resignation to quiet quitting. These are the latest workplace buzzwords, creating a toxic work environment for many employees.
What is quiet hiring, and how do you know if you’re experiencing it?
You suddenly get asked to take on a portion of someone else’s role. Quiet hiring can result from resignation, restructuring or change in position, and it is leveraged as an opportunity for a company to fill a gap without increasing headcount. Often the duties will be similar to your current role, but you will be given additional scope.
If you find yourself being quietly hired, here are a few clarifying questions you can ask:
• How long will I take on these additional duties?
• Is there a training plan?
• Am I being offered a bonus or further compensation?
• How often can we check in to ensure I do not get overwhelmed?
What is quiet firing?
Your leader is intentionally or unintentionally pushing you out of the organization. They may make you feel isolated and left out often. They can also fail to provide training, support, or development.
The difference between maybe a manager who is intentionally pushing an employee out and an absent manager can be hard to decipher. Many managers are well-intentioned but fail to see development and engagement as a critical component of their role. Those who are intentionally quiet firing their employees are leveraging a calculated and intentional effort in the hopes that the employee will quit.
Here are some signs of being quiet fired:
• A dramatic reduction in communication with your manager
• Being left out of emails or team meetings
• Feeling unwelcome on your team
• Halting any new tasks or projects
• Being assigned unpleasant or mundane tasks
• No discussion of progression or development
Whether you are being quietly hired or fired, the key is to communicate with your manager. When given additional tasks due to a business decision or acquisition, discussing how you will integrate those new duties into your role is essential. If you are uncomfortable, speaking up quickly and asking for your support is best.
It’s common to take on more due to business needs, but a conversation with your manager is necessary if these new duties overwhelm you or push you into burnout.
If you suspect your boss is quietly firing you or something is off with your manager, talking with them to highlight how their actions or lack thereof make you feel can help you get to the bottom of the issue. If you don’t feel comfortable talking to your manager or you’ve tried and there’s no improvement, I recommend you seek a next-level manager or human resources representative. If you are negatively impacted, speak up before the organization loses a dedicated employee.