The silence in a workplace can sometimes say more than a formal warning letter ever could. When emails go unanswered, meetings move ahead without you, and your role begins to shrink without explanation, it may not be a coincidence. Increasingly, it is being recognised as something more deliberate, quiet firing.At first glance, the term sounds like another addition to the growing lexicon of workplace buzzwords. But beneath the phrasing lies a practice that is neither new nor harmless. Quiet firing reflects a deeper shift in how organisations manage exits, accountability, and discomfort, often at the cost of employee dignity.

Understanding quiet firing

Quiet firing refers to a managerial practice where an employee is not directly terminated but is gradually pushed out of the organisation. Instead of formal performance conversations or clear decisions, managers withdraw responsibility, opportunity, support, and visibility until the job becomes untenable. The employee, drained and demoralised, eventually resigns.

Unlike layoffs or firings, quiet firing operates in the shadows. There is no clear moment of rupture, no written explanation, and no closure. The ambiguity is the strategy.This approach has gained renewed attention in recent years, particularly as organisations navigate economic uncertainty, remote work, and legal complexity. Direct terminations involve severance, documentation, and risk. Quiet firing avoids all three.

Why is it becoming more visible now

Workplace disengagement has created fertile ground for this phenomenon. According to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace report (June 2024), a significant share of employees worldwide report feeling unsupported, disconnected, and emotionally detached from their organisations. Quiet firing does not just exploit this disengagement; it actively produces it.As work becomes more distributed and communication more asynchronous, it is easier for managers to disengage without appearing overtly hostile. Silence replaces confrontation. Inaction replaces leadership. This is why quiet firing often goes unnamed until the damage is done.

What quiet firing looks like in practice

Quiet firing is rarely about a single act. It is a pattern built over time. Feedback stops, both positive and corrective. Career conversations vanish. Access to key projects, meetings, or decision-making is quietly withdrawn. Resources dry up. Responsibilities are reassigned without explanation, and pay stagnates. Basically, the company continues to pay the employee, but the latter has no real role or function. The message is not directly stated, but it is absolutely clear: your existence is tolerated, not appreciated. As a leader, this is undoubtedly a failure to handle performance in an open and honest way. Leaders who can’t be bothered to set expectations or confront issues directly resort to using ambiguity as a way of exerting pressure.

Trend or tactic?

Calling quiet firing a “trend” risks understating its seriousness. While the term itself may be new, the behaviour is not. What has changed is its scale and normalisation.In earlier workplace cultures, avoidance was often limited by physical proximity and hierarchical clarity. Today, remote teams, matrix structures, and platform-based communication allow exclusion to happen quietly and systematically.The danger lies in how easily quiet firing can be rationalised, as pragmatism, cost control, or managerial discretion when it is, in effect, a way to transfer organisational discomfort onto individuals.The human costFor employees, quiet firing is psychologically destabilising. The lack of clarity makes it difficult to respond, improve, or even defend oneself. Confidence erodes, self-doubt replaces certainty. Many begin to internalise the silence as personal failure.Unlike formal termination, which at least offers finality, quiet firing prolongs uncertainty. It keeps employees suspended between hope and rejection, often for months.Teams notice too. When colleagues see someone slowly erased without explanation, trust weakens. Silence becomes instructive. Speaking up feels risky.

Why organisations should be concerned

While quiet firing may appear convenient in the short term, it carries long-term consequences. It undermines psychological safety, damages employer reputation, and signals a lack of ethical leadership.More critically, it reveals a deeper organisational problem: an inability to handle difficult conversations. Healthy workplaces do not avoid discomfort; they manage it. Performance issues, role mismatches, and changing priorities require clarity, not quiet withdrawal.

So, what is quiet firing really?

Quiet firing is not just a passing workplace trend. It is a persistent organisational behaviour that has serious implications. It shows underlying issues with accountability, power, and risk. Quiet firing is a symptom of a lack of leadership and the presence of ambiguity, in which no one seems to make decisions. While employee well-being, transparency, and ethical management become more and more topics of discussion, quiet firing is still there, as a contradiction, silent, strategic, and deeply consequential. The question, in fact, should not be whether quiet firing exists. Why so many workplaces still find it easier to be silent than to be honest is the real issue.

In an incredible moment of skill on Day 2 of Sydney Test against Australia, Michael Neser claimed an unforgettable caught and bowled to dismiss Joe Root for 160, ending a magnificent knock by the England batter. Root’s knock had been an innings of great resilience, lasting 242 balls and featuring 15 boundaries, but the spectacular dismissal by Neser brought an end to his century-long resistance.

Ashes 2025-26: Michael Neser’s brilliant catch at full stretch to dismiss Joe Root

Neser’s catch was the turning point in a tense and hard-fought session. Root had been playing exceptionally well, having already amassed a magnificent 160, and had settled into a rhythm that had the England team looking comfortable. Neser, bowling with intensity, delivered a back-of-a-length ball aimed at the body. Root tried to work the ball to the leg side, but the extra bounce caught him off guard.

The delivery was slightly higher than expected, and as Root attempted to direct it, the leading edge popped up awkwardly. Neser, quickly reacting to the chance, sprinted to his right and flung himself full stretch to complete a diving catch, showing remarkable athleticism. This wicket brought England to 384/9, as Root’s departure handed Australia a significant breakthrough in a highly competitive Test.

Here’s the video:

It took an absolute blinder from Michael Neser to dismiss Joe Root, who departs for 160 👏 #Ashes pic.twitter.com/tqgTTDGBkZ

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 5, 2026

Also READ: Alastair Cook opens up on possibility of becoming England’s next head coach

Root’s masterful 160 leads England to strong position in Sydney Ashes Test

Root’s brilliant knock of 160 anchored England’s innings on Day 2 of the 5th Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, putting the visitors in a commanding position. Root’s innings was a perfect blend of patience and aggression, as he faced 242 balls and struck 15 boundaries. Despite losing wickets around him, Root’s resilience ensured that England could set a daunting target for Australia, with his innings standing out as the highlight of the day.

Root was dismissed by Neser in a spectacular caught-and-bowled effort, a moment of brilliance that left the Sydney crowd in awe. England ended their innings at 384, with significant contributions from Harry Brook (84) and Jamie Smith (46). Australia’s bowlers, particularly Neser with 4 wickets, worked hard but were unable to stop Root’s dominance. With Australia needing 385 to take a lead, the day concluded with the hosts trailing by 348 runs at 36/0, requiring a strong chase on Day 3 to stay in the match.

Also WATCH: Ashes 2025-26: Australia and England players unite to give Guard of Honour to Bondi terror attack victims at SCG

“History will tell who the traitors were,” deposed Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro’s son Nicolas Maduro Guerra has said after his father and First Lady Cilia Flores were captured following a US military operation.In a audio message circulated on social media, Guerra warned of possible betrayal within the ruling movement, and history would expose those responsible.“History will tell who the traitors were, history will reveal it. We will see,” Guerra said.“We are fine, we are calm. You will see us in the streets, alongside these people. They want to see us weak; we are going to raise the banners of dignity. Does it hurt us? Of course it hurts us, of course it makes us angry, but they won’t be able to, damn it! I swear to you on my life, on my mother, on Cilia: they won’t be able to,” he said in the audio recording, El-cooperative reported.He also called supporters to take part in public mobilisations on January 4 and 5 to regroup and strengthen unity around the leadership. He also spoke of the need for “political and military coordination” to respond to what he described as “external aggression”.Maduro Guerra is a lawmaker from La Guaira state and member of the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV).Also known as “The Prince,” Guerra’s role is Venezuela’s drug operations is detailed in newly US indictments.According to US federal prosecutors, Guerra is a key orchestrator of a sprawling narcotics network that allegedly leveraged state assets, military personnel, and political influence to transport cocaine from Venezuela to the United States.This comes as Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores remain detained in the United States. They are expected to appear before a federal court in the Southern District of New York on Monday,Maduro is facing charges related to alleged “narco-terrorism and conspiracy to traffic drugs”.Earlier on Saturday The United States launched coordinated attacks on civilian and military installations across several Venezuelan states, with US President Donald Trump claiming that President Nicolas Maduro had been captured in what he described as a “large-scale” American strike.Both were taken from their residence, moved to the USS Iwo Jima warship, and later flown to the United States. They arrived in New York on Saturday afternoon to face criminal proceedings in US courts.

Representative image (PTI Photo)

NEW DELHI: The country’s top boxers were left cooling their heels for hours as chaos and confusion marked the opening day of the Elite Men and Women National Boxing Championships in Greater Noida on Sunday, with the start of competition delayed by more than four hours due to what officials described as “logistical” issues.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The tournament, slated to be a landmark event with the men’s and women’s national championships being staged together for the first time, was scheduled to get underway at 2 pm at Gautam Buddha University. Instead, prolonged uncertainty and poor preparedness defined the day.

Even basic infrastructure was missing. Three competition rings were meant to be operational on the opening day, but only one was assembled by around 4 pm. That too had to be dismantled and reassembled after a technical fault was detected. As a result, the first of the 80 scheduled bouts — 38 in the women’s section and 42 in the men’s — finally began only at 6.30 pm. Women boxers were left waiting even longer. As of 8 pm, there was still no clarity on when their bouts would begin, with the third ring yet to be assembled and no official communication forthcoming.Sources said that the organisers could not set up the rings and other equipment overnight as the gate of the venue, Gautam Budh University in Greater Noida, was locked.

“There were some communication issues, and the organisers did not know that the University gates would be closed for the night. So, they had to wait till the next day to set up everything,” a source said. A source, familiar with the matter, also said that the delay “actually” stemmed from payment-related issues. “Work only began after payment was made to the vendor,” the source added.However, Boxing Federation of India (BFI) secretary general Pramod Kumar told PTI, “The delay was because of certain logistical issues.”The prolonged wait took a visible toll on athletes. Several boxers attempted to pass the time inside the arena — some plugged into headphones, others paced the hall — as the hours ticked by without announcements.The national championships are already delayed as it was to be held in late December last year.Top Indian pugilists, including world champion Jaismine Lamboria, Olympian Nikhat Zareen and several other World Boxing Cup medallists, are in the fray. The competition, which will conclude on Jan 10, will see the men’s and women’s events being held simultaneously at the same venue, with nearly 600 boxers from across the country set to participate in 10 weight categories each in both men and women sections.Other prominent boxers, in action in the women’s section, are reigning world champion Minakshi Hooda, Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain and Asian Games bronze medallist Preeti Pawar. Among men, World Boxing Cup Finals gold medallists Hitesh Gulia and Sachin Siwach, silver medallist Abhinash Jamwal and World Championships silver medallist Amit Panghal are fighting for top honours.

Russia’s overnight strikes on Kyiv province killed two people on Monday after air raid alerts were issued across the country, Ukrainian authorities said. One person was killed in the capital Kyiv, according to Tymur Tkachenko, head of the city’s military administration. Another victim, a man in his 70s, died in the neighbouring city of Fastiv, Kyiv regional governor Mykola Kalashnyk said.

“One person has been killed so far as a result of the attack. The attack is continuing,” Tkachenko said in a post on the Telegram messaging app, according to Reuters.The latest strikes come as Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukraine. Meanwhile, Kyiv and its allies are seeking to finalise a US-brokered plan aimed at ending Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II.The violence follows a deadly weekend of cross-border attacks. On Sunday, two people were killed in Ukrainian drone strikes in Russia’s border regions, according to local officials. In the Belgorod region, one person died and two others, including a young child, were wounded when a drone hit a car, regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said. Another person was killed in a drone strike on a village in the Kursk region, regional governor Alexander Khinshtein said.In Ukraine, drone strikes overnight into Sunday also wounded three people in the Kharkiv region, the country’s State Emergency Service said.The escalation comes amid intensified diplomatic efforts to end the nearly four-year-old war. National security advisers from Europe and other allied countries visited Kyiv on Saturday to discuss security guarantees and economic support as part of a US-led push for peace.President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said work on peace proposals could now move faster after Ukraine shared key documents with 18 national security advisers, including those related to security guarantees. He said representatives from Ukraine’s General Staff and military sector were due to meet on Monday in Paris, followed by talks among European leaders on Tuesday.Zelenskyy, who is preparing to travel to Paris, said he hoped documents on security guarantees would be finalised during the meetings. He added that the discussions with US representatives were also expected.

The exclusion of Mohammed Shami from India’s squad for the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand has sparked sharp criticism, with the veteran pacer’s childhood coach openly questioning the decision-making of the selectors. The three-match series begins on January 11, but Shami’s name was notably absent from the 15-man squad announced on Saturday.

Shami, 35, had been widely expected to return to the ODI setup after delivering an impressive performance in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy, India’s premier 50-over domestic competition. His omission, therefore, has come as a major surprise to fans and former players.

Mohammed Shami’s childhood coach questions Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel

Reacting strongly to the snub, Shami’s childhood coach Badruddin Siddique expressed frustration at what he sees as a lack of clarity and fairness in the selection process overseen by Ajit Agarkar, who currently heads the national selection committee.

“What more can a player do? How many more wickets should the player take?” the coach told India Today, voicing disbelief at the decision. His remarks reflect a broader concern among Shami’s supporters, who believe the pacer has done everything required at the domestic level to earn a recall.

The coach further suggested that Shami’s exclusion could signal a worrying shift in the selectors’ plans, hinting that the door to India’s ODI side may be closing for the seasoned fast bowler.

Shami’s impressive Vijay Hazare Trophy performance ignored by selectors

Shami’s numbers in the Vijay Hazare Trophy underline why his omission has raised eyebrows. Representing Bengal, he has picked up 11 wickets in just five matches, consistently troubling batters with pace, seam movement, and accuracy. His performances were seen as a clear statement of intent, particularly after injury setbacks earlier in the year.

Despite this, Shami did not find a place in the Shubman Gill-led ODI squad, leading many to question whether domestic performances are still being given due weight in selection decisions.

Shami’s coach did not hide his concern that the snub could effectively mark the end of the pacer’s ODI journey. “This means that they do not want him in the ODI team. He has a lot to give,” he said, emphasizing that Shami’s experience and skill remain valuable assets.

Having been a key figure in India’s white-ball success over the years, Shami’s potential sidelining raises questions about how the team plans to transition from seasoned campaigners to younger talent, especially with major tournaments on the horizon.

Also READ: Shreyas Iyer IN, Ruturaj Gaikwad OUT as BCCI announce India squad for New Zealand ODIs

India’s pace attack to continue without Shami 

The decision to leave out Shami is further magnified by the fact that Jasprit Bumrah has also been rested for the New Zealand ODIs. In their absence, India’s pace attack will be led by Mohammed Siraj, alongside youngsters Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana.

All-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy has been named as the fifth seam option, highlighting the selectors’ preference for a younger, more flexible pace unit.

Also READ: 7 Indian players who featured in T20 World Cup 2024 but won’t play in 2026 edition