A disturbing new workplace trend dubbed “quiet cutting” is emerging as the latest threat to employee mental health, according to a comprehensive study by the Harvard Business Review. Unlike traditional layoffs or constructive dismissal, quiet cutting involves systematically reducing an employee’s responsibilities, influence, and access to opportunities while keeping them nominally employed. This subtle form of professional marginalization is leaving psychological scars that may be more damaging than outright termination.
The study, which surveyed over 5,000 professionals across industries, found that 28% reported experiencing some form of quiet cutting in the past year. Victims described being gradually excluded from important meetings, passed over for promotions without explanation, or having their projects reassigned to others. “It’s death by a thousand cuts,” explained one respondent. “You come to work every day feeling invisible, questioning your worth, but with none of the closure that comes with being let go.”
Psychologists warn that quiet cutting triggers a unique form of workplace trauma. Dr. Eleanor Tan, an organizational psychologist, explains: “Unlike with layoffs, where the injury is clear and society offers sympathy, quiet cutting victims suffer in silence. They experience chronic stress, eroded self-esteem, and the toxic hope that maybe tomorrow will be different.” The study found alarming rates of anxiety (63%), depression (47%), and even suicidal ideation (18%) among those subjected to quiet cutting.
Forward-thinking companies are implementing “psychological safety audits” to identify and address quiet cutting behaviors among managers. Some are establishing clear metrics for employee engagement and creating formal channels for reporting professional isolation. Legal experts note that while quiet cutting isn’t technically illegal, it may violate emerging workplace mental health protections in some jurisdictions.
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