Intersectional & Inclusive Standards for Developers  ## Metadata - Author: [[Kelli Korducki]] - Full Title: Intersectional & Inclusive Standards for Developers - Category: #articles - Document Note: --- tags: - QuietCutting - SoftwareEngineering - TechLayoffs - JobSecurity Author: [Author's Name] Source: [Author/Book/Article/Website] Reference: [Page numbers/Link] date created: 2024-09-10 19:15 --- # Title: Quiet Cutting in the Tech Industry: Software Engineers Face New Job Insecurities ## Table of Contents: - [Summary](#summary) - [Main Content](#main-content) - [Notes](#notes) - [References](#references) - [Paraphrase](#paraphrase) - [Newsletter](#newsletter) - [Action Items](#action-items) - [Hypotheses](#hypotheses) - [Methodology](#methodology) - [Questions](#questions) - [Future Research](#future-research) - [Implications](#implications) - [Logical validity](#logical-validity) - [Conclusion](#conclusion) ## 📝 Summary: As tech companies continue to downsize, a new phenomenon called "quiet cutting" is gaining traction. Quiet cutting refers to the practice of keeping employees on the payroll but reassigning them to different roles or departments, often without the employee’s consent. This practice, different from "quiet firing," is increasingly common among software engineers as companies try to adapt to new technologies, such as generative AI. Although it allows companies to retain staff during transitions, quiet cutting can leave employees in precarious positions, leading to frustration and uncertainty. ## 📖 Main Content: Quiet cutting emerged as a response to shifts in the tech industry, especially as companies face the pressures of automation and restructuring. The term, coined in 2023 by the Wall Street Journal, describes a situation where employees remain employed but are reassigned to different roles or departments. This differs from quiet firing, where companies pressure employees to quit. The article describes Justin Garrison’s experience at Amazon Web Services (AWS), where he was informed his role was being eliminated but could continue working in a limbo-like state until the company decided to formally let him go. This experience is increasingly common as companies try to avoid layoffs, which could generate negative press, while still pushing out high-earning employees. The rise of generative AI and other emerging technologies has forced many organizations to reassign roles rather than hire new staff. A survey conducted by Zetwerk found that nearly 40% of IT professionals had experienced quiet cutting. The article explores the psychological toll on employees, who often feel betrayed or anxious about their job security. Denise Rousseau, an organizational psychology professor, suggests that transparency and empathy from management can help mitigate the negative effects of quiet cutting. She advises managers to be open with employees about the situation and provide support through regular check-ins. Incentives like retention bonuses can also give employees a sense of control over their decisions. Justin Garrison eventually resigned from AWS, citing frustration with how the company handled his departure. He now works at a startup, highlighting the emotional toll and long-term impacts of quiet cutting on employee morale and loyalty. ### 🗒️ Notes: - Quiet cutting refers to reassigning employees to new roles or departments without formal termination. - This practice is becoming common as tech companies face pressures from automation and generative AI. - Nearly 40% of IT professionals have experienced quiet cutting, according to a survey by Zetwerk. - Denise Rousseau suggests that transparency and emotional intelligence from managers can help employees cope with these transitions. - Justin Garrison’s experience at AWS highlights how quiet cutting can lead to long-term frustration and employee turnover. ## 📖 References: - Wall Street Journal, “Quiet Cutting in the Tech Industry” - Survey from Zetwerk, Bangalore-based manufacturing services firm ## 🗣️ Paraphrase: 1. The phenomenon of quiet cutting, where employees are reassigned to different roles within a company rather than being let go, is becoming more prevalent as tech firms face restructuring pressures. This practice often leaves employees in uncertain situations, with some being forced to take on new responsibilities they didn’t choose, causing frustration and job insecurity. 2. Denise Rousseau notes that although quiet cutting can be an ethical response to organizational changes, managers must handle these situations with transparency and empathy. Providing regular updates and support to employees can help alleviate some of the stress and anxiety caused by these transitions. ## 📰 Newsletter: 📉 The tech industry is facing a new wave of workforce challenges as companies turn to "quiet cutting" to navigate layoffs and restructuring. Software engineers are being reassigned to new roles without formal termination, leaving many feeling uncertain and frustrated. With generative AI driving rapid changes, companies are reshuffling their teams, and nearly 40% of IT professionals have already experienced this shift. Managers, take note: empathy, transparency, and incentives like retention bonuses can help keep teams motivated during these tough transitions. #QuietCutting #TechLayoffs #SoftwareEngineers ## ✅ Action Items: As a Developer Advocate, this article highlights the growing need for transparency and supportive management during organizational transitions, especially in open-source communities. The concept of quiet cutting could have a significant impact on contributor engagement, as engineers who feel left in limbo may disengage from open-source projects. My focus should be on advocating for better communication, mental health support, and maintaining a clear pathway for contributors during times of uncertainty in the tech industry. ## 🧪 Hypotheses: - Employees who experience quiet cutting are more likely to leave their roles within six months. - Providing transparent communication and tangible incentives during quiet cutting increases retention rates. ### 📊 Methodology: Surveys could be conducted with employees who have experienced quiet cutting, assessing their likelihood of leaving their roles and their satisfaction with how management handled the situation. Comparing retention rates between companies that offer incentives versus those that do not would provide further insights. ### ❓ Questions: - How can companies balance the need for organizational restructuring with maintaining employee morale and loyalty? - Are there long-term impacts on the tech industry’s talent pool due to the rise of quiet cutting? ### 🔮 Future Research: Further research could focus on how quiet cutting affects different demographics within the tech industry, such as early-career engineers versus senior staff. Additionally, exploring how these practices impact the mental health and productivity of workers would provide valuable insights. ### 💡 Implications: If quiet cutting becomes the norm in the tech industry, it could lead to a more transient and disengaged workforce. Companies may need to rethink their strategies for employee retention and development, especially in an industry where talent is highly sought after. ### ✅ Logical validity: The article provides a compelling analysis of quiet cutting, supported by survey data and expert commentary. The reasoning is sound, and the emotional toll on employees is well-explored, with balanced perspectives from both employees and experts on organizational psychology. **Strong Reasoning Identified**: - **Causal Reasoning**: The author explains how quiet cutting arises from companies’ need to adapt to technological changes while retaining staff, providing a clear link between restructuring pressures and employee reassignment. - **Appeal to Facts/Evidence**: The survey data from Zetwerk supports the claim that quiet cutting is becoming a common practice in the tech industry. ### 🎯 Conclusion: Quiet cutting is an emerging trend in the tech industry, where employees are reassigned to new roles rather than being laid off. While this strategy may help companies navigate technological changes, it often leaves employees feeling uncertain and disengaged. Transparent communication and empathy from management can help mitigate t - Document Tags: [[CareerDevelopment]] [[job market]] [[quiet quitting]] - Summary: Tech companies are resorting to "quiet cutting," a strategy where employees are kept on staff but reassigned to new roles or departments. This practice aims to navigate operational changes without layoffs, but can lead to job insecurity and negative impacts on employees. Managers must navigate these transitions with transparency and empathy. - URL: https://leaddev.com/team/quiet-cutting-arrives-tech-industry You have **0** further articles remaining this month. [Join LeadDev.com for free](https://leaddev.com/register?s=dw) to read unlimited articles. As tech companies continue to shed employees and reorganize their teams, the phenomenon of quiet cutting is starting to impact software engineers. As [layoffs](https://leaddev.com/personal-development/tech-layoffs-are-making-things-worse-women-leadership) and [firings](https://leaddev.com/team/learning-right-lessons-cloudflare-firing-video) continue to rock the tech industry, a climate of job precariousness has set in for the once rock-solid career path of software engineering. In December last year, Justin Garrison, a senior developer for Amazon Web Services (AWS), [wrote a personal blog post](https://justingarrison.com/blog/2023-12-30-amazons-silent-sacking/) alleging that he had been told in September that his role was being eliminated, but that he could continue working and being paid as long as there were tasks for him to help with. Furthermore, he would not become eligible for severance until the company had “exhausted other options” – in other words, until AWS decided it had run out of ways to make use of his labor. By year’s end, Garrison had been in a state of limbo for more than three months. Garrison sees his experience as part of a broader trend of “silent sacking,” a practice that tech giants such as [Meta](https://qz.com/metas-quiet-firing-is-making-a-lot-of-noise-1849566883) and [Tesla](https://www.cnbc.com/2022/09/14/tesla-struggles-with-elon-musks-strict-return-to-office-policy.html) have been called out for perpetuating in recent months. This is where staffers are encouraged to quit by various means – [such as being forced to return to the office](https://leaddev.com/team/why-resisting-return-office-mandates-futile) or take on additional responsibilities – without being formally let go. Companies may hope this approach helps minimize the negative press associated with layoffs, while still reducing operational expenses by letting go of as many high-earning staffers as possible – in other words, [the sort of employees who typically have the option of walking away from a bad situation](https://leaddev.com/team/where-are-all-laid-software-developers-going). Garrison believed that the company was avoiding laying him off, with the expectation that he would quit. But while Garrison’s experience bears some of the hallmarks of the covert downsizing strategy often referred to as “[quiet firing](https://hbr.org/2022/11/are-you-being-quiet-fired),” there are some key distinctions that point toward a different – and increasingly common – phenomenon: “[quiet cutting](https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/careers/youve-heard-of-quiet-quitting-now-companies-are-quiet-cutting-ba2c326d).” #### What is quiet cutting? The term quiet cutting was [coined in August 2023 by the Wall Street Journal](https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/careers/youve-heard-of-quiet-quitting-now-companies-are-quiet-cutting-ba2c326d), to describe the scenario where employees are kept on staff but reassigned to new roles or departments – a mounting reality where [generative AI is forcing many tech companies to quickly pivot](https://www.ft.com/content/9bace2e9-3ecb-4651-a6c0-b16f0226c0e0). It is a strategy that organizations may deploy in order to navigate operational changes without replacing existing staff. Although this approach may be used to nudge some staff members out of the company, downsizing is not necessarily the company’s primary objective. By some measures, quiet cutting might be the new normal. In a [global survey](https://www.zetwerk.com/quiet-cutting-in-the-workplace/) of 400 business owners and 600 employees from across various industries, the Bangalore-based manufacturing services firm Zetwerk found that nearly one in four business owners had recently engaged in the practice. Information technology professionals comprised the largest share of surveyed workers, with 39% saying they had been on the receiving end of attempted quiet cutting while on the job. “Sometimes an organization is in a transition from one strategy to another and not sure what the second strategy will be,” says [Denise Rousseau](https://www.heinz.cmu.edu/faculty-research/profiles/rousseau-denisem), a professor of organizational psychology at Carnegie Mellon University. In such situations, it may make sense for an employer to continue a staffer’s employment, while also being transparent about the structural changes afoot. Rousseau understands why this can be a frustrating position for employees to be put into. However, with regard to Garrison’s experience at Amazon, she believes that the company ultimately acted ethically by communicating honestly about the future of his role. “By telling him that the position was insecure, I actually thought that the employer was being fair and reasonable,” she says. Even under ideal circumstances, quiet cutting can be a jarring experience. According to Zetwerk’s survey, 39% of quietly cut employees reported quitting after the fact, while another 28% said they planned to. In addition, 56% of the surveyed employees said they would rather be fired outright than be subject to quiet cutting, and half reported feeling betrayed by the experience. “I generally enjoyed my three and a half years at Amazon, except for how I was treated when they were pushing me out the door,” Garrison tells LeadDev. #### How managers can better navigate change Although the affected employees ultimately bear the brunt of the stress associated with prolonged or uncertain organizational transitions, quiet cutting also puts managers in a difficult position. “Having the job of keeping the team's spirits up while the higher-ups play chess with the company's future makes [being a middle manager in uncertain times](https://leaddev.com/team/how-lead-through-economic-downturn) feel like walking a tightrope without a net,” says Sylvia Baffour, a corporate trainer and emotional intelligence coach based in Washington D.C. It is important that managers strike the delicate balance of being [transparent without causing panic](https://leaddev.com/personal-development/how-communicate-decision-you-disagree) and being supportive without making empty promises. Crucially, managers must recognize that periods of job uncertainty are stressful and anxiety-inducing for staff. “This is where their emotional intelligence skills and [empathy](https://leaddev.com/team/empathetic-leadership-inclusive-success), in particular, can really help them steer their team through the eye of the storm,” says Baffour. “This means actively listening to your team members, acknowledging their concerns, and validating their feelings. It's not just about offering solutions but also about creating a safe space where they feel heard and supported.” Baffour advises that managers initiate regular check-ins with their team members and keep in mind that each individual may react differently to the circumstances at hand. While some may require reassurance about job security, others might wish for clarity on the trajectory of their role within the organization. Baffour also recommends that managers make a point of encouraging team members to lean on each other for support and to be considerate of colleagues who are particularly struggling. Managers can also lobby to provide tangible incentives, such as retention bonuses, to employees who choose to stay with the company despite knowing that their positions are being eliminated. This kind of approach can be a “win-win” for all parties, says Rousseau, because it reinstates employees’ sense of control over their situation. “It makes them think, ‘I'm not staying because I have no choice. I'm staying because I'm getting something. I'm staying because I like the job and my boss is treating me decently.’” As for Garrison, the former Amazon staffer eventually decided that he’d had enough uncertainty and resigned from the company in January. He now works as a director for a Los Angeles startup called [Sidero Labs](https://www.siderolabs.com/). “It’s been really fascinating to see how open the conversations can be and how unpolitic things can be,” he says., Intersectional & Inclusive Standards for Developers, Kelli Korducki, 01hqr01ya14fn4393wae1b21ea.