Bruce Hurwitz 10:18 pm on May 20, 2023  

Quiet Hiring

In commemoration of Memorial Day there will be no article posted next week. I wish all my readers, veterans and their families a meaningful Memorial Day.

Quiet hiring is a new term for what used to be called “professional growth.” Instead of hiring someone new, the company gives an existing employee new responsibilities. Personally, I think it is excellent for all concerned for the following reasons:

  1. The company is offering the employee a chance to build new skills. They are paying for their education. This should also mean a higher salary.
  2. The company does not have to go through the process of hiring a new employee which will cost them time and money, and will include a learning curve to understand the company.
  3. The employee should be grateful for the opportunity the employer is giving them and that will increase employee loyalty, meaning retention.
  4. The only thing that the employer has to be aware of, and this is also part of the employee’s responsibility, is that the new responsibility will not negatively impact their existing responsibilities. Put differently, the employee should not be overwhelmed and suffer burnout. Perhaps hiring an assistant for the person, when the time is right, will solve the problem, and will still cost less than having brought on a new person, making what clearly is a part-time position, full-time.

Some people think this is unethical. What could be unethical about offering an employee the chance to better themselves? What’s unethical about saying to someone, worst case scenario, “Look, we need to hire someone to take care of X. You are doing a great job. We can’t afford to bring someone new on and we certainly don’t want to have to let you go. So, we will train you (or pay for your training), give you this added responsibility, and a salary increase of Y, along with a new title.” It’s not a punishment; it’s a compliment. It’s also being open and honest. They are being given the chance not only to continue being employed but to advance in their career.  If you will, they are not being shown the front door (being escorted out of the building) but the corner office door (being promoted).

Of course, there is another solution. Instead of “quiet” hiring, try “mature” hiring, bringing on a retiree who can do the job, and will be grateful for the opportunity. Here’s one way to find such individuals.