In 2022, a phenomenon known as 'quiet quitting' gained popularity as workers worldwide expressed their frustration with stagnant wages by limiting their efforts to only the bare minimum required to retain their jobs. Essentially operating on autopilot.

Fast forward to 2023, it appears that employers are responding with a strategy known as 'quiet hiring.' In this article, we will delve into the concept of quiet hiring, its underlying causes, the parties it benefits, and provide insights for employers on how to address this trend.

What is Quiet Hiring?

Quiet hiring refers to the practice adopted by organizations to acquire new skills and address pressing business needs without directly hiring additional full-time employees. It involves strategically reassigning existing employees to different roles, providing them with opportunities for growth and upskilling while ensuring appropriate compensation. Alternatively, organizations may opt to hire temporary workers for specific tasks or employ a combination of these approaches.

What Caused Quiet Hiring, and Who Does It Benefit?

Before taking a stance, let's first examine the factors that led to the emergence of quiet hiring. It's important to note that quiet hiring is not a novel practice; rather, it is a new term for an existing business strategy. Savvy business owners are well aware that hiring new talent can be a costly process, particularly in skill-intensive industries.

Under normal circumstances, when a company is in a growth phase and performing satisfactorily, the expense of [hiring new talent] is manageable. However, during challenging economic times when businesses struggle to stay afloat, it becomes logical to halt the recruitment of new employees and focus on cost-cutting measures. Consequently, existing staff members are expected to shoulder additional responsibilities, as the alternative may involve job termination.

Quiet hiring is not an ideal scenario by any means, but it can be understood considering the prevailing global economic conditions. While employers gain immediate benefits from this approach, employees also benefit by retaining their jobs when others are facing layoffs, and they may have opportunities for faster promotion. When implemented effectively and ethically, quiet hiring has the potential to create a mutually beneficial situation for both employers and employees.

How Do Employers Benefit From Quiet Hiring?

Quiet hiring is a strategy where employers fill open positions by promoting or reassigning current employees, rather than by recruiting new talent from outside the company. This approach can offer a number of benefits for employers, including:

Cost savings. Quiet hiring can help employers save money on the costs associated with traditional recruitment, such as advertising, screening, and interviewing. Additionally, since internal candidates are already familiar with the company's culture and processes, they may require less onboarding and training, which can further reduce costs.
Improved employee retention. Quiet hiring can help employers improve employee retention by giving current employees the opportunity to grow their skills and advance their careers. This can make employees feel more valued and appreciated, which can lead to them staying with the company for longer.
Increased productivity. When employees are given new challenges and responsibilities, they are often more motivated and productive. This can lead to improved performance and results for the company.
Enhanced employee engagement. Quiet hiring can help employers enhance employee engagement by giving employees a sense of ownership and responsibility. When employees are involved in the hiring process, they are more likely to feel invested in the company and its success.
Reduced risk of hiring a bad fit. When you promote from within, you already know the employee's work ethic, skills, and personality. This can help you reduce the risk of hiring a bad fit for the role.
Faster onboarding and training. Internal candidates are already familiar with the company's culture, processes, and systems. This can help them get up to speed more quickly than external hires.
Increased employee morale. Employees who are promoted or given new responsibilities are often more motivated and engaged. This can lead to increased morale and productivity throughout the organization.

Risks and Challenges of Quiet Hiring

Here are some of the risks and challenges of quiet hiring:

Lack of diversity: If employers only promote from within, they may miss out on talented candidates from outside the company who could bring new perspectives and skills to the organization.
Employee burnout: If employees are constantly being promoted or given new responsibilities, they may become burned out. This can lead to decreased productivity, increased stress, and even turnover.
Dissatisfaction: If employees feel like they are not being given enough opportunities to grow and develop, they may become dissatisfied and look for opportunities elsewhere.
Lack of transparency: If employers are not transparent about their quiet hiring practices, employees may feel like they are being kept in the dark. This can lead to distrust and resentment.
Legal liability: If employers promote or reassign employees into roles that they are not qualified for, they may be held liable for any damages that result.

How to Begin with Quiet Hiring?

If you are considering quiet hiring, there are a few things you can do to make it successful:

Have a clear plan in place. Before you start promoting from within, you need to have a clear plan in place for how you will identify and develop internal candidates.
Be transparent with employees. Let employees know that you are open to promoting from within and that you are considering them for new opportunities.
Provide opportunities for development. If you want to promote from within, you need to provide employees with opportunities to develop their skills and experience. This could include providing them with training, mentoring, or stretch assignments.
Be fair and objective. When you are considering internal candidates for promotion, it is important to be fair and objective. Make sure that you are considering all of the candidates' qualifications and not just their seniority.

What Employees Should Know

While quiet hiring may appear to primarily benefit employers, it also offers advantages for employees. When employees are asked to shoulder additional responsibilities or tasks outside their regular job description, it is reasonable for them to expect certain considerations in return. It is essential to communicate the following points to employees:

Salary increments: When employees take on extra work, it is understandable that they would expect to be appropriately compensated for the additional time and effort invested.
Clear expectations: Employees need to have a clear understanding of what their new responsibilities entail and how they should prepare to fulfill them.
Extra training: If employees need to acquire new skills to meet the demands of their expanded roles, they should be provided with the necessary learning and development resources. This can include mentorship programs or company-sponsored courses, and employees should be informed about the available opportunities.
Project duration: It is important to communicate whether the company intends for employees to handle these new responsibilities in the long term or if it is a short-term, one-time assignment. Providing this information in advance enables staff members to have a clear understanding of the duration and scope of their involvement.
Alignment with long-term career goals: Training and gaining additional experience can be valuable for employees aiming to progress and pursue specific career paths. Employees should be aware of how their involvement in these new responsibilities can help them prepare for future roles or qualify for promotions.

By transparently addressing these aspects, employers can ensure that employees feel valued and supported when taking on additional responsibilities through quiet hiring practices.

Will Quiet Hiring Stop Quiet Quitting?

There are a few reasons why quiet hiring might not stop quiet quitting. First, it is possible that employees who are already unhappy with their jobs will not be motivated by the opportunity to be promoted or given new responsibilities. Second, even if employees are motivated by the opportunity to advance their careers, they may still be unhappy with other aspects of their jobs, such as their work-life balance or their compensation.

However, there are also some reasons why quiet hiring might help to stop quiet quitting. First, it can show employees that the company is committed to their development and growth. Second, it can give employees a sense of ownership and responsibility, which can make them feel more engaged in their work. Third, it can help to create a more positive and supportive work environment.

Ultimately, whether or not quiet hiring will stop quiet quitting depends on a number of factors, including the specific reasons why employees are quiet quitting. However, it is a strategy that can be worth considering for employers who are looking to improve employee retention.

Did the pandemic contribute to the rise of quiet quitting?

Undoubtedly, the pandemic presented numerous challenges that increased the demands on employees while also prompting them to reconsider alternative work models.

A survey conducted by Denver University highlights that remote work has actually amplified stress levels among employees. While certain aspects, such as commuting, became more convenient, the overall work experience became burdensome.

Interestingly, remote work has subtly contributed to the quiet quitting trend in several ways. Firstly, it has led to longer working hours, resulting in higher levels of burnout. Research indicates that burnout is a significant concern in the workplace, particularly among younger professionals in their twenties, belonging to Gen Z.

On the other hand, remote work introduced new concepts like "Fridays off," digital meetings, and flexible work hours. However, with the perceived "freedom," some individuals have taken advantage of the situation by slacking off unnoticed.

A report by KornFerry reveals that remote workers confess to not working for 25% of their designated work time, confirming managers' concerns. This slacking off behavior can create rifts among coworkers as some have to compensate for others, potentially fostering a toxic work culture and exacerbating employee dissatisfaction.

However, it is essential to recognize that the current work paradigm cannot solely be blamed for this trend. Rejecting the "work is life" culture is a personal choice, and some of these choices may be rooted in an employer's engagement strategies.

Employee engagement has experienced a decline in the United States over the past two years. According to a Gallup poll, the percentage of engaged employees under 35 decreased by 6% from 2019 to 2022, while the proportion of actively disengaged employees increased by 6%. This is concerning because disengaged employees tend to bring less passion and energy to their jobs, potentially contributing to the ranks of quiet quitters.

Now the question arises: Is it too late to reverse the situation for quiet quitters? Are there lesser-known methods to address this issue? Can companies leverage quiet hiring as a means to entice quiet quitters?

Capitalizing the Trend of Quiet Hiring

As per research conducted by SHRM, 51% of HR professionals express concerns regarding silent resignation, commonly known as quiet quitting. These professionals fear that quiet quitting could adversely impact their businesses, leading to reduced employee morale in the workplace (83%), decreased employee productivity (70%), or compromised quality of work (50%). Given these concerns, can quiet hiring serve as a solution to address the issue of quiet quitting?

The answer is both yes and no. Quiet hiring can indeed be a means to motivate 'quiet quitters' to become more engaged within the team. However, it is important to acknowledge that not all workplaces are the same. Workplaces can vary significantly in terms of their structure, values, and priorities. Values play a crucial role in any organization as they outline what the organization deems important and what behaviors are expected from employees. If an organization has well-defined values that are reflected in leadership actions and deeply embedded within the organizational culture, employees who understand and embrace these values are more likely to act in the organization's best interests.

Nevertheless, even in cases where values and priorities differ across the organization, it is not impossible to entice 'quiet quitters' and foster a more engaged workforce.

How Google has been Implementing Quiet Hiring Successfully?

Google has effectively implemented a quiet hiring strategy that plays a significant role in identifying and selecting the most talented individuals, both internally and externally, for their open positions. This under-the-radar recruiting approach has proven to be a tried-and-true method that many businesses, regardless of their size, can benefit from adopting.

At the core of Google's quiet hiring strategy is the involvement of their own staff in the recruitment process. For each position, a hiring committee comprised of five or six existing Google employees is formed. This committee takes on the responsibility of screening and evaluating candidates, ensuring that only the best individuals are considered for the available roles.

The hiring committees at Google assess candidates based on five key aspects, utilizing a ranking system from 1 to 4 for each aspect. These aspects encompass various factors related to the candidates' qualifications and suitability for the position. Importantly, two of these aspects are internal references and employee testimonials, which highlight the significance of internal connections within Google's hiring process.

By leveraging internal references and employee testimonials as part of their evaluation criteria, Google prioritizes individuals who have established connections within the company. This approach makes it more challenging for external candidates without any internal connections to receive a job offer. While this may not be suitable for every company, it has proven to be effective in Google's case.

Google's quiet hiring method sets them apart by emphasizing a rigorous selection process that separates and identifies the most exceptional candidates. Through the involvement of their own employees in the hiring committees and the inclusion of internal references and testimonials, Google ensures that only the most qualified and well-suited candidates are chosen for their open positions.

It is worth noting that while Google's approach may not be a perfect fit for every organization, the success they have achieved with their quiet hiring strategy offers valuable insights and highlights the importance of a thorough and selective recruitment process in attracting top talent.

Is Quiet Hiring Worth it?

This is a question that is prevailing in every employer and recruiter’s mind. Quiet hiring has its own set of benefits and challenges, while Google has been doing it effortlessly for past few years, this does not mean that every other organization can walk on the same road.

On the other hand, the school of thought that if Google can do it and considering the advantages quiet hiring brings, it does not hurt to give the trend a try.

Whether or not quiet hiring is right for your organization is a decision that you will need to make based on your specific circumstances. There is no one-size-fits-all answer. If you are considering quiet hiring, it is important to do your research and to talk to other organizations that have used this strategy. By carefully considering the potential benefits and drawbacks, you can make an informed decision about whether or not quiet hiring is right for you.

What is Quiet Hiring?