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You’ve been working hard all year, and have proof that you bring value to your organization.
When it comes time for your next review, your boss tells you they have exciting news: they want to expand your role and give you new responsibilities.
Or, maybe you notice that someone has moved into a new role on your team, but you never saw the job posting.
This idea is what some experts are calling ‘quiet hiring’ and research and consulting firm Gartner predicts that quiet hiring will be one of the top trends in 2023.
How to identify ‘quiet hiring’
Joy Pittman, creator of HR services company HR for the Culture, said it’s important to observe subtle changes in your work environment to notice when quiet hiring is happening.
Gartner defines it as, “the practice of an organization acquiring new skills without hiring new full-time employees.”
Two of the ways companies are doing this is by assigning existing employees to new roles or expanding existing employees’ responsibilities through stretch and upskilling opportunities.
According to Gartner, these changes should be with commensurate compensation or other incentives such as time off, flexible hours or one-time bonuses.
Ultimately, it helps companies address acute business needs.
Pros and cons of quiet hiring
First, it can help with strategic, covert hiring.
“Quiet hiring allows employers to target specific individuals with desirable skill sets and experiences without drawing attention from competitors or causing internal disruptions,” Ms. Pittman said.
This is also good news for employees, because their employer won’t be sizing them up against external candidates when considering them for the opportunity.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, quiet hiring can cause companies to miss out on qualified candidates from outside the business. Plus, it can cause turmoil within the company.
“Employees may feel left out or undervalued if they discover that the company is hiring without their knowledge, leading to decreased morale and trust,” Ms. Pittman said.
Quiet hiring could also work against a company’s diversity and innovation goals.
“It might limit the candidate pool and result in a less diverse workforce, potentially impacting creativity and innovation within the organization,” she said.
Ms. Pittman said to be aware, as she has seen companies use quiet hiring practices without providing any type of compensation, leaving employees working harder with hopes of recognition in the future.
If you’re noticing this happen, she advises that you speak with your manager right away about your concerns and document any evidence of your new responsibilities and additional contributions.
“Having tangible evidence will strengthen your case when discussing the need for fair compensation,” she said.
Make quiet hiring work for you
Ms. Pittman said that if your company uses quiet hiring as a strategy, there are three important ways you can ensure you’re considered for opportunities.
- Network proactively: “Build and maintain professional relationships within your industry or organization to increase your chances of being considered for quiet hiring opportunities.”
- Showcase your expertise: “Demonstrate your skills, achievements and potential contributions to the company, making yourself an attractive candidate for any unadvertised positions.”
- Express your interest: “If you suspect that quiet hiring is taking place, communicate about your enthusiasm for taking on new challenges or responsibilities.”
Regardless of the strategy your company is taking to hiring and filling skills gaps, Ms. Pittman said to approach these career decisions with careful consideration, and to seek advice from trusted sources such as mentors or career counselors when needed.
What I’m reading around the web
- According to this Harvard Business Review article, the increase in global temperatures should have companies worried — extreme heat is projected to cost $4-trillion annually in productivity by 2030. Here’s how corporate leaders can begin taking action to protect their business and their employees.
- Not only is loneliness on the rise, but this Toronto Star article shows it is having an impact on our health and it’s increasingly being seen as a public health issue. The concept of loneliness is nuanced and subjective, but data shows it’s affecting people from all age groups.
- Make the best of your next one-to-one meeting with your boss with these prompts from Harvard Business Review. From performance feedback to career advancement and guidance on current tasks, here are 10 questions you can ask.
- If you’ve been to Disneyland lately — surprise — you’ve already tried purified wastewater from the water reclamation facility in California. Here’s how the ecological solution is helping people in the state take on droughts and climate change.
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Déjà Leonard is a copywriter and freelance journalist based in Calgary.