The notion of ‘quiet quitting’ came about in the immediate post-Covid period when employees were reassessing their commitment to their workplace. Now, employers are deploying a way of sowing disenchantment among workers to trim numbers. But there are major risks attached, write employment law experts Nick Hurley and Emily McPartland at law firm Charles Russell Speechlys

If you thought “quiet quitting” was the hot workplace trend to watch, brace yourself for its corporate cousin: “quiet cutting”. Unlike the viral TikTok phenomenon where employees silently disengage, quiet cutting is an employer’s manoeuvre. It involves discreetly reassigning staff to different roles or reducing career development or training opportunities, thereby encouraging employees to leave voluntarily rather than making formal redundancies.

Like all US phenomena, quiet cutting is making an appearance this side of the pond. But is this subtle reshuffling a cost-saving masterstroke, or a legal minefield waiting to blow?

Redundancy and vacancies

Vacancies down 17% as labour market weakens

Redundancies boost candidate availability at fastest pace since 2020

‘Quiet quitting? It’s nonsense!’

Understanding quiet cutting

“Quiet cutting” refers to employers shuffling the deck – demoting, laterally moving, or reshuffling employees’ roles as an alternative to redundancy or termination.

Rather than making redundancies, employers might engage in practices that subtly undermine an employee’s position, such as...

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