According to Business Insider, some companies are indeed using tactics like “silent layoffs” and “quiet firing” to reduce their workforce.
Silent layoffs involve offering severance packages to employees but asking them to keep the details of their exit confidential. Quiet firing, on the other hand, involves making a role less appealing or creating a hostile work environment to encourage employees to quit voluntarily.
These strategies can backfire by damaging employee trust and morale, and potentially leading to public relations issues.
Bosses are using 'silent lay-offs' and 'quiet firing' to get rid of employees, per BI.
— unusual_whales (@unusual_whales) July 19, 2024
Sources:
hbr.org/2022/11/are-you-being-quiet-fired