04-10-2024
Per a Fortune.com article, quiet cutting is on the rise in the workplace. Quiet cutting "happens when the employers cut back on an employee's workload, responsibilities, role, or compensation." Employers use it to push employees out the door by encouraging them to quit on their own.
A Monster survey reflects that 77% of workers have witnessed quiet cutting, and 58% have personally experienced it. The job search website conducted a nationwide poll of 2,869 U.S. employees. When employees quit, they lose their eligibility for severance-related benefits. Monster career expert Vicki Salemi states quiet cutting may be more a result of managers picking up on "an already existing toxic environment that tends to operate in passive-aggressive ways." She suggests employers address performance issues directly with clear goals and metrics. “Quiet cutting is just not the right thing to do, plain and simple,” says Salemi.
The same survey shows employees are concerned about their growth opportunities, with 59% reporting a lack of opportunities and a third did not receive their expected bonuses. With some employers worried about attracting and retaining talent, these responses are a cause for concern. The quiet-cutting trend could negatively impact trust and morale, diminishing productivity, which may ultimately hit the company's bottom line. Most workers surveyed who witnessed or experienced quiet cutting no longer want to stay in their organizations or feel loyal to their employers. Salemi asserts if word gets out about employees not finding it a great place to work and leaving, recruiting becomes more challenging.