From Verizon to Amazon and beyond, large-scale layoffs are redefining the current job market—but another tactic may be just as destabilizing to the American workforce: quiet firing.

Zety’s Layoff Lifeline Report finds that a majority of workers surveyed report having experienced “quiet firing” tactics: when employers try to push employees out without actually formally showing them the door. The report was compiled from three Zety surveys conducted throughout 2025, including one of 1,000 U.S. employees and two surveys of nearly 1,000 employees who had been laid off within the past two years.

The research finds that almost three-quarters believe they have experienced quiet firing, with the most common tactics being increased workload without pay or support and micromanagement. Seventy percent perceive return-to-office mandates as a form of quiet firing, designed to push employees to quit.

That theory aligns with a recent BambooHR report that found a quarter of the C-suite said they hope their RTO mandate will prompt resignations. Entertainment giant Paramount Skydance was upfront about its intent: The company recently paid out $185 million in severance to employees after giving them the option to resign or return to the office full-time.

“It’s no wonder employees heading into 2026 are emotionally drained and stressed,” says Jasmine Escalera, Zety’s career expert.

Facing change with caution

For those who were formally laid off, one in five said their layoff came as a complete surprise, while just 36% saw it coming. Only 30% were notified in person; nearly as many were laid off via email or phone.

About one-third cited automation or technology changes as the reason for their job loss.

“This uncertainty is amplified by coverage of AI-driven layoffs in 2025,” Escalera says.

Given these dynamics, heading into the new year, she says, employees are feeling intense pressure to remain valuable and “AI-proof” as roles shift around them.

“As we move into 2026, workers are bracing for continued instability,” Escalera says. “They are entering the new year not with confidence but with caution, anxiety and a heightened sense of uncertainty about their careers.”

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