The pandemic ushered in a wave of new HR lingo: return-to-office, Great Resignation, wellbeing washing and more. This year brought its own share of HR buzzwords—some may be fleeting, while others, experts say, suggest trends with long-term implications.
Here’s a look at the catchiest HR catchphrases we covered this year:
Quiet firing
In many sectors, 2025 was the year of large-scale layoffs; but some companies took a more subtle approach to reducing headcount. The concept of “quiet firing” arose, as employees contended some in leadership are creating unpleasant work environments to edge workers out the door—and save on the bottom line. Read more.
Microshifting
While the idea of workplace flexibility in the last few years has focused on where employees work, it’s evolving toward when employees work, Frank Weishaupt, CEO of Owl Labs, told us. This is paving the way for “microshifting”—when employees work in structured blocks throughout the day that mesh with their personal schedules and productivity preferences. Read more.
Ghostworking
A report out this summer from Resume Now found that more than half of employees surveyed acknowledge regularly pretending to work, a term known as “ghostworking.” Achievers’ Hannah Yardley, chief people and culture officer, told us it’s a productivity and engagement problem that can be addressed when employees feel recognized for and connected to their work.
“Ghostworking happens in many cases when employees stop seeing the point of their work,” Yardley said. Read more.
Quiet cracking
The employee burnout crisis deepened this year, yet employees are increasingly keeping their stress to themselves and “quiet cracking.” Research from ResumeTemplates found that nearly 60% of employees report feeling drained and disengaged at work, yet try to cover those feelings to keep up appearances. Read more.
Revenge quitting
At organizations with systemic culture issues, the risk for turnover is high, as is the threat of “revenge quitting,” which describes employees abruptly leaving their job to express dissatisfaction with the organization or team. A report earlier this year from Monster found that nearly half of workers surveyed have revenge quit. Read more.
Bonus: CHRO vs. CPO?
While not an HR buzzword, the nomenclature of the top HR leader was a much-debated topic in HR circles this year. Increasingly, the HR executives we interviewed are pursuing titles outside of the traditional “chief HR officer” role, like chief people officer, to signify the function’s growing strategic power. Read more.
