‘Quiet Cutting’ Is on the Rise: 4 Key Signs You’re Being Pushed Out of Your Job
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Gabrielle Olya
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Amen Oyiboke
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As the job market ebbs and flows, we’ve swung from the era of “quiet quitting” to the era of “quiet cutting.” Quiet cutting — an attempt by employers to push certain employees to quit rather than firing them — is becoming increasingly common, according to a recent ZipRecruiter survey.
“Many companies have spoken in recent earnings calls about their reluctance to do large reductions in force and preference for changing headcount through natural attrition,” said Julia Pollak, chief economist at ZipRecruiter.
“One reason may be that the reputation cost of an employer of doing reductions in force has grown. In 2020, company reviews were very understanding of the need for pandemic layoffs, and a ZipRecruiter survey of laid-off workers found that the vast majority of workers said they would want to return to the employer who had laid them off. Company reviews have been substantially more critical of layoffs conducted in 2022 to 2023.”
One of the most common ways a company may “quiet cut” an employee is to reassign them to a less desirable role, and this has become a more popular way to push employees out in recent months. The survey found that more than half (55%) of those who have been reassigned to a less attractive position at some point in their careers experienced this in 2023. The survey also found that this is an effective way to cut workers — of those reassigned in 2023, 59% quit. Even those who didn’t take the bait eventually lost their jobs — 9% were later fired and 7% were laid off.
While being reassigned to a worse position is a telltale sign that you are being “quiet cut,” here are other signs you should look out for.
Excessive Micromanagement
Nobody likes being micromanaged, so if you notice this happening more and more, this could be a bad sign.
“If your manager begins to excessively micromanage your work, it could signal a lack of trust and attempt to create a hostile, demotivating and unpleasant work environment for you,” said Joseph Liu, career change consultant and host of the “Career Relaunch” podcast.
No Plan for Career Advancement
If your employer wants to retain you, they will be able to share a clear path for you to advance in your career.
“If any attempt to discuss your professional development or advancement within the organization is consistently met with a lack of enthusiasm or concrete plans for progression, it may signal your employer doesn’t see a path for your long-term growth within the company,” Liu said.
Disenfranchisement
“If you find yourself being excluded from important meetings, left out of key projects or kept away from internal stakeholders, it may suggest your employer is no longer investing effort into positioning you as a critical member of the team,” Liu said.
This is a strong sign your employer may want you to quit.
New Unrealistic Expectations Are Set
“If your workload suddenly increases to a level that’s unrealistic for anyone to sustain, your employer may be trying to undermine your confidence in performing effectively at your job,” Liu said.
In addition, overwork could lead to burnout, which could also encourage you to quit.
What To Do If You Fear You Are Being ‘Quiet Cut’
While these may all be signs you are being “quiet cut,” it’s important to not make any assumptions and to begin an open dialogue with your manager. Even if you were being “quiet cut,” you may be able to turn things around by asking for honest feedback and making performance improvements.
“It’s always a best practice to have open lines of communication with your manager,” said Marissa Morrison, VP of people at ZipRecruiter. “Check in with them regularly to ask about your performance, share what you’re working on and encourage feedback. If you are thoughtful about communicating the status and impact of your work and soliciting ongoing feedback, you’re more likely to know where you stand with your manager and the organization as a whole.”
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