Thursday, December 1, 2022

Is Your Boss Guilty of Quiet Firing?

Or are your coworkers veering into quiet quitting territory? Here’s how to see the signs of these latest workplace buzzwords

Guide Magazine

You’ve heard it everywhere recently: accusations of workers ‘quiet quitting’ and bosses retaliating through quiet firing.

But just what do these buzzy terms mean, anyway?

Quiet quitting has been described as workers doing the bare minimum and not going above and beyond in their role. This could mean turning down overtime, or not volunteering for projects that go outside of their job description. A silent protest of this type can be done in the hope that an employer will come to understand that unreasonable requests aren’t welcomed in the workplace, and to alleviate stress associated with an individual’s job. It’s easy to see why this is gaining in popularity. More than a third of Canadian workers recently surveyed reported feeling burned out, and a quarter of those who responded said that their work significantly impacts their mental health.

Of course, no one should be expected to do more than what their job description entails. And in many sectors, this attitude is actually a refreshing change of pace.

Front-line and essential workers, such as those working in healthcare, are now seeing the mental and physical benefits of giving 100 percent instead of 150 percent, as they had been used to throughout the pandemic. However, it can be demoralizing to work with someone who you don’t see applying the same effort to their job as you do, or as they once did, especially in places where teamwork comes in to play.

Quiet firing, on the other hand, is when a boss makes a workplace uncomfortable for an employee in the hope that they will leave the company or their role. This can include overlooking an employee for favourable projects or assigning them an objectionable schedule.

Fortunately, for workers covered by a collective agreement, quiet firing is very difficult, since employment conditions are laid out in the contract. But that doesn’t mean employers can’t try to push employees toward a premature exit.

So, what should you do if you feel your boss or coworkers are dabbling in one of these behaviours? There are a few approaches you can try to deal with the issue head-on.

If you think your coworker is quiet quitting . . .

Try to see it from their perspective. They may have something going on in their life that has made them re-evaluate their relationship with their workplace.
Examine whether it’s affecting your day-to-day. Are things still getting done? If so, there’s really no reason to be concerned for the status of their job, or the quality of any projects you work on together.
Talk to them. They may appreciate the opportunity to express frustrations to a person who knows firsthand what they are going through.

If you think your boss is quiet firing . . .

Speak to your steward or rep. They can help you determine whether your boss’s actions are malicious, or warrant follow through.
Compare your situation to how your coworkers are being treated. Is it different, or are these actions being applied across the board?
Approach your boss, if you feel comfortable. They may not be aware that they are making things at work difficult for you.

Sources: forbes.com, financialpost.com, ctvnews.ca

Is Your Boss Guilty of Quiet Firing?

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