Workplaces have always been about power. Managers hold authority, while employees try to balance their own goals with the demands of the job. In recent years, two terms have dominated workplace debates: quiet quitting and quiet firing.
Quiet quitting means employees stop going above and beyond at work. They still do their job, but they no longer give extra time or effort. Quiet firing, on the other hand, means managers push employees out without openly firing them. They do this by ignoring, sidelining, or making work life unpleasant until the employee quits.
These two trends raise an important question: Who really holds the power at work? Employees who quietly quit try to take back control of their time and energy. Managers who quietly fire try to take back control of the workplace. In this article, we will explore both sides, look at the latest data, and see how this silent struggle shapes the future of work.
What is Quiet Quitting?
Quiet quitting is not about leaving a job. It is about setting limits. An employee who quietly quits decides to work only within the official job description. They do not stay late, they do not answer emails after hours, and they do not take on extra tasks without pay or recognition.
Many people started using this term during the pandemic. Remote work blurred the line between personal life and work. Employees realized that constant hustle harmed their health. As a result, they drew boundaries to protect themselves.
Researchers have studied this trend carefully. A recent study created something called a “Quiet Quitting Scale” to measure the behavior. Surveys show that 62% of employees around the world show signs of quiet quitting. Gallup, a research company, found that this costs the global economy about 8.9 trillion dollars each year in lost productivity.
McKinsey, another global firm, estimated that 20% to 40% of the workforce may be quietly quitting at any given time. That means one in three or even two in five workers is disengaged. This is a huge number, and it shows how deep the problem goes.
Why Do People Quietly Quit?
Several reasons push employees toward quiet quitting:
- Heavy workload and burnout
Employees often face too much work. When they feel exhausted, they reduce their effort. A study in Yogyakarta showed that workload increases quiet quitting, and emotional exhaustion makes this even stronger. - Lack of recognition
Employees want fair rewards for their efforts. When they do not get recognition, they stop trying extra hard. They do only what is required. - Poor leadership
If managers do not listen, employees lose motivation. When employees feel unsafe to speak up, they shut down. They save themselves by reducing their effort. - Changing values
Younger generations like Millennials and Gen Z value work-life balance. They do not want to sacrifice their health for work. The pandemic made this shift stronger. - Unclear roles
When jobs have unclear expectations, employees often step back. They avoid confusion by sticking to only the basics.
The Effects of Quiet Quitting
Quiet quitting has clear effects:
- Lower productivity: Companies lose the extra creativity and teamwork that engaged workers bring.
- Higher turnover: Quiet quitting often leads to actual quitting later. A study in South Korea found that quiet quitting reduced job satisfaction and commitment, which then increased turnover.
- Team tension: Some employees resent coworkers who put in less effort, which creates conflict.
- Weaker company culture: If many employees disengage, culture suffers.
- Economic loss: Global estimates say disengagement costs businesses trillions.
But quiet quitting can also be a warning sign. It tells companies that employees feel unsupported. If leaders respond well, they can re-engage staff. If they ignore it, the company loses talent.
What is Quiet Firing?
Quiet firing is the other side of the coin. Instead of employees stepping back, managers push employees out. They do not fire openly. Instead, they make the workplace so unpleasant that employees resign.
Quiet firing happens in many ways:
- Giving boring or unimportant tasks.
- Excluding employees from meetings or decisions.
- Micromanaging every detail.
- Refusing to give training or feedback.
- Blocking promotions or raises.
- Changing shifts or roles to make life harder.
- Ignoring communication or leaving expectations unclear.
A survey in the service industry across Ghana, Namibia, Nigeria, and South Africa found that workplace silence strongly influences quiet firing. Employees who cannot speak up are more likely to face quiet firing.
Why Do Managers Quietly Fire?
Managers use quiet firing for several reasons:
- Avoiding confrontation
Firing someone directly can be uncomfortable. Managers may choose the silent route instead. - Avoiding legal risk
Open firing can lead to lawsuits. Quiet firing pushes employees to leave on their own. - Saving costs
If an employee resigns, companies avoid paying severance in some countries. - Exercising control
Some managers use quiet firing as a tool of power. They control access to opportunities, recognition, and support.
The Effects of Quiet Firing
Quiet firing has serious consequences:
- Employee exit: It often achieves its purpose—employees leave.
- Damaged morale: Other workers see it happening and lose trust in management.
- Loss of talent: Good employees sometimes get pushed out by mistake.
- Legal trouble: If conditions are bad enough, courts may treat it as “constructive dismissal.”
- Toxic culture: It creates fear and reduces loyalty.
In the long run, quiet firing hurts the company’s reputation. Potential hires may avoid firms known for such practices.
The Role of Silence and Safety
Both quiet quitting and quiet firing grow in workplaces where employees do not feel safe to speak up. Researchers call this workplace silence.
A study in Africa with 361 employees found that silence leads to both quiet quitting and quiet firing. These, in turn, lead to higher employee turnover. The same study showed that psychological safety—the belief that it is safe to speak up—can reduce these effects.
This shows that both trends are not just personal choices. They come from organizational culture. If leaders build safety and openness, employees do not need to quit quietly, and managers do not resort to quiet firing.
New Workplace Trends
The story does not end with quiet quitting and quiet firing. New terms describe new patterns.
- Quiet Cracking
This means employees stay in their jobs but feel broken inside. They lose motivation and energy over time. A survey found that about 20% of U.S. workers often experience quiet cracking, and 34% experience it sometimes. Causes include stress, fear of losing jobs to AI, and lack of career growth. - Job Hugging
In the UK, young workers now stay in their jobs for security. They avoid risk and hold tightly to their roles. This is called job hugging. - Quiet Thriving
This is the positive opposite of quiet quitting. Employees make small changes in their work to find joy and meaning. They focus on growth without burning out.
Who Holds the Power?
Now we come to the main question: who really holds the power in this silent struggle?
Employees and Quiet Quitting
When employees quietly quit, they take back power over their time and energy. They stop doing unpaid extra work. They send a message: “I will only do what I am paid for.”
This works best when:
- Employees have skills in demand.
- The labor market is strong.
- The company cannot afford to lose them.
But their power is limited. Managers may respond with quiet firing. If employees have few job options, they cannot push too hard.
Managers and Quiet Firing
Managers hold structural power. They control promotions, projects, recognition, and pay. They can make an employee’s work life easy or very difficult.
This gives them more tools in the quiet power game. But they must use these carefully. If employees see unfair treatment, morale drops. If patterns of exclusion appear, lawsuits may follow.
Shared Ambiguity
Both quiet quitting and quiet firing depend on signals and ambiguity. Neither side speaks openly. This makes power tricky. The side that controls the narrative often holds the advantage.
In high-trust, safe workplaces, employees hold more power. In rigid, hierarchical workplaces, managers usually win.
Regional and Sector Differences
- Africa: In Ghana, Namibia, Nigeria, and South Africa, silence strongly drives both quiet quitting and quiet firing.
- Turkey: A study of 445 health professionals showed that both behaviors reduce job satisfaction and engagement.
- Technology Sector: Remote work makes quiet quitting easier. Reports say 9–10% of software engineers may be “ghost workers,” doing little while still being paid. Return-to-office policies have also led to senior employees leaving.
- UK: Job hugging is rising, with younger employees holding on to jobs for security.
What Companies Should Do
Companies can reduce both quiet quitting and quiet firing if they act early:
- Measure disengagement using surveys.
- Encourage open voice so employees can share concerns safely.
- Give clear feedback and career paths to avoid confusion.
- Reward effort fairly so employees feel valued.
- Check managers’ behavior to prevent quiet firing.
- Promote “quiet thriving” by helping employees redesign their work positively.
Future Questions
Researchers still need to explore many issues:
- How does quiet quitting develop over years?
- How common is quiet firing in numbers?
- What factors trigger escalation from quiet quitting to actual resignation?
- How do new technologies like AI change the game?
- How do cultural differences shape these behaviors?
Conclusion
Quiet quitting and quiet firing show us a deeper truth: the workplace is full of silent battles. Employees protect themselves by withdrawing effort. Managers protect control by sidelining workers. Both sides act quietly to avoid direct conflict.
Who has more power? It depends. Employees have power when their skills are in demand. Managers have power because they control resources. The balance shifts depending on culture, industry, and leadership style.
But in the long run, both sides lose if silence rules. Quiet quitting reduces productivity. Quiet firing damages trust and reputation. The only true solution is open communication, fairness, and psychological safety.
When companies build cultures of trust, employees do not need to quit quietly, and managers do not need to fire quietly. Instead, they can all thrive quietly.
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