It is a sunny Wednesday; you are at work going through the motions but something feels… off. Upon closer reflection, you realise that for weeks now, your tasks have quietly been reassigned, you've been left out of key decisions, and your once-friendly colleagues now seem distant. It is as if the walls are whispering 'Your time here might be running out.'
No one wants to believe their employer is silently rooting for their resignation, especially if you are a performer, but it happens more often than you think.
What drives employers to secretly hope for an employee's resignation letter?
Alex Kenduywo, the Employment Officer at the National Employment Authority says the most common reason is to avoid legal battles, especially if they did not follow the right procedures when hiring.
Secondly, employees make specialised products and may be due to economic challenges, there is no market for the product. Mr Kenduywo says an example is factories making specialised cheese for international markets.
"If they cannot be reassigned to other areas when the market tanks, employers would love for such employees to voluntarily quit."
Additionally, technological advancements can also push employees who are not aligned with the technology to quit.
"The culture within an organisation also pushes the desire for an employee to quit. If a senior manager and his/her junior have different opinions and their differences are becoming costly, the employer might want to get rid of either or both," Mr Kenduywo shares.
Exclusion tactics
One clear sign that your employer wants you out, is when they begin assigning your roles or responsibilities to someone else.
Similarly, if your employer or line manager bypasses you and directly engages others during meetings, then the writing is on the wall.
Mr Kenduywo says being excluded from key decisions in your line of work is also an indicator. "If you find that people are being consulted on the same and you are caught off guard by their deliberations, then the cloud is on the horizon."
Another subtle sign is being micromanaged and your work is all of a sudden being critically analysed.
"You are not given that breathing space or freedom to do your work or if you do, more questions are arising even if you think you are doing the right thing," he adds.
Mr Kenduywo shares that being shunned by your colleagues is also an obvious clue. "Word has already gone around that you are no longer on good terms with your boss so now you are being sidelined.
The environment begins to become toxic to you, such that you feel like you are no longer part of the organisation. So, by the end of the day, on your own terms, you would want to quit."
Lastly, if your employer is not interested in talking about your career growth. You are always being criticised during the quarterly or yearly review of performance which was not the case initially, then that is an obvious marker.
Psychological effects?
Milka Murigi, a managing consultant with Verde Edge Consulting says one of the psychological impacts is a lack of motivation. Working under a boss who wants you out can lead to a loss of interest in your work, a diminished drive to attend work, and a reluctance to share ideas in meetings.
Ms Murigi shares that while some employees can weather the storm and remain calm, others see their performance begin to decline and decide to rip the band-aid.
On the flip side, an employer can choose to overburden you which in turn affects your mental and physical well-being.
"For instance, you get into an organisation and they realise for this job description, we are paying this person too much, so you are added new roles."
What to do when you start seeing the signs
Ms Murigi says that the best response for an employee, depending on their character and personality, is either to fight for their position or to start job hunting.
"Once upon a time, the head of the department where I worked left, and the management needed to fill the position. I applied but didn't get the job. The person who was hired started bypassing me in key decision-making and even avoiding and evading me. Within a year, I found another job and left," she shares.
However, Ms Murigi shares that employers should avoid constructing an exit or a dismissal for any employee as it can result in a lawsuit.
