3 Uncomfortable Truths About Why Quiet Firing Happens

Forbes

08-07-2025

Quiet firing creates frustration and uncertainty when managers withdraw support instead of giving ... More clear feedback or direction.
Being ghosted by a person sucks… But what if you were ghosted by your job? That's basically what quiet firing feels like. It's when a manager wants you to leave without actually firing you. Instead, they make the work environment so frustrating or unpleasant that the person eventually chooses to quit. It's called quiet because the boss doesn't have to say or do much. Just step back and let it happen.
If that hits close to home, you're not alone. In a survey by HROne, 83% of workers said they've seen quiet firing happen, and nearly 35% said they've experienced it themselves. But how did quiet firing become so common in today's workplace? Here are three uncomfortable truths behind why it happens so often.
Some Managers Just Suck At Managing
Quiet firing doesn't always happen all at once. Sometimes, it creeps in slowly because a manager simply isn't doing their job. These bosses are consistently absent when it comes to coaching, rarely give feedback (good or bad), and avoid difficult conversations at all costs. The issue isn't that they tried and failed—it's that they didn't try at all.
And this kind of checked-out management isn't rare. In a Gallup poll, only 20% of workers said their performance is managed in a way that inspires them to do their best. This suggests that around 80% may be stuck in environments with unclear expectations, inconsistent feedback, and a lack of direction—conditions where something like quiet firing could potentially take root.
Some managers never quite figure it out. Maybe they're new, disorganized, overwhelmed, or just plain exhausted. Sometimes the neglect isn't personal. It's the result of someone juggling too much or never being trained to lead in the first place. But whether it's intentional or not, that kind of leadership leaves employees confused, unsupported, and slowly running out of steam until they finally give up and quit. This long-term disengagement still counts as quiet firing.
And the impact runs deep. Gallup found that managers account for 70% of the variation in employee engagement, which means that when a manager checks out, their team often follows. That kind of breakdown is exactly what sends people out the door.
It's Baked Into The Culture
Sometimes the system is to blame, and not just your boss. Your manager might be doing exactly what they were told if leadership or HR uses quiet firing to dodge performance conversations or avoid legal risk. And when that's the case, it's not an isolated issue. It's baked into the culture.
In times of economic uncertainty, some companies would rather cut staff behind the scenes than go through the mess of public layoffs. While quiet firing might sound like a new trend, Ben Hardy, a clinical professor of organizational behavior at London Business School, says it's been around for a while.
Back then, companies would have what he calls 'car park conversations.' Your manager would casually ask you to step outside for a quick chat and then give you two options: take a pay cut and leave quietly, or go through a drawn-out performance review that you probably weren't meant to survive. Either way, the goal was the same: make you disappear without making a scene.
According to Hardy, public layoffs break the illusion that 'we're all one big family.' Quiet firing, on the other hand, lets companies protect that image while still pushing people out the door.
Feedback Already Went Sideways
Maybe you already had the conversation. Maybe you had the talk. But it went sideways—got tense, awkward, or just plain uncomfortable. And instead of trying again, your manager backed off. No follow-up, no clarity, no next steps. You're not fired, but suddenly, everything's silent.
And that silence can be loud. Gallup found that one of the strongest predictors of engagement is how often managers have meaningful conversations with their team. In fact, 80% of employees who got useful feedback in the past week said they felt fully engaged at work. But when those check-ins stop, confusion takes over. People start filling in the blanks with their own assumptions.
When feedback already feels like a failure, whether they're uncomfortable, avoidant, or just unsure how to move forward, they start missing check-ins, skipping feedback, or letting one-on-ones slide. Over time, that silence sends a clear message: you're not being supported, and you're not moving forward here.
Quiet firing isn't rare. It's just harder to notice. And because no one says it out loud, it's easy to blame yourself. But in most cases, it's not about you. It's about broken systems, overwhelmed managers, and cultures that avoid hard conversations instead of dealing with them head-on.
If you've been silently pushed out, take it as a signal, not a setback. You deserve a workplace that's clear, supportive, and actually wants you to grow. Rooting for you!