PTI Mumbai

With rapid technological advancement, silent firing – a strategy by companies to indirectly push employees to leave their roles – has picked up pace, with 10 per cent of employers preferring layoffs for redundant positions, a report said on Monday.

The report by staffing solutions and HR services provider Genius Consultants said that silent firing is often intertwined with technological advancements, with employers adopting varied strategies to navigate the evolving workplace landscape.

While 79 per cent of employers interviewed said they prioritise upskilling their current workforce to adapt to technological changes, 10 per cent prefer layoffs for redundant positions, the report said.

While 6 per cent resort to assigning excessive workloads to underperforming employees as a subtle means of attrition, it added.

The report by Genius Consultants is based on a survey that analysed feedback from 1,223 employers and 1,069 employees, exploring 'silent firing's implications against the backdrop of rapid technological adoption and evolving workforce dynamics.

As per the report, 39 per cent of employers anticipate complete reliance on advanced technologies to minimise manual intervention five years ahead, however, 31 per cent emphasised the importance of balancing technological growth with human resource development. Nearly half of the respondents (48%) opposed replacing human employees with AI, emphasising the importance of a human-centric approach to workforce management.

On the other hand, 36% of employers support the complete adoption of AI, reflecting a growing inclination toward automation and technological advancement, it stated.