By Celeste Gable, Marketing Coordinator

A new year, a new buzzword. Make way for 2023’s newest trend: quiet hiring. The term coined by Emily Rose McRae, Senior Director of Research at Gartner, refers to when an organization acquires new skills without actually hiring new full-time employees. This could mean hiring short-term contractors, but in many cases, it means persuading current employees to temporarily move into new roles within the company. Quiet hiring follows the highly popularized concept of quiet quitting in 2022, denoted by employees not actually quitting but shunning the hustle culture that causes burnout. Today’s organizations are facing an increasingly competitive hiring landscape, an economic slowdown, and internal pressure to lower costs. All of this combined with ambitious hiring goals requires a unique solution. By utilizing quiet hiring, businesses can optimize their workforce for maximum productivity without having to incur extra costs.

For employers, quiet hiring provides an efficient, cost-effective way to fill gaps within the organization without hiring additional full-time workers. Companies can leverage internal talent rather than go through a lengthy and expensive external hiring process to solve an immediate issue. In addition, upskilling employees can increase retention, engagement, and productivity. With that in mind, an effective quiet hiring process lies in how it’s outlined to employees. Companies should present assignments as learning opportunities with the potential for promotion or a salary increase. With proper communication and awareness, you can guarantee that employees are satisfied and motivated to do their best work, even amongst change.

While quiet hiring sounds like it only benefits employers, employees should use this as an opportunity for promotions. If you’re taking on extra responsibilities, then it’s fair to expect a pay increase. If that’s not an option, try negotiating for other benefits like a bonus, flexible hours, or additional time off. A major advantage of quiet hiring is the ability to expand your skillset which can directly contribute to your professional development. Employees can also utilize quiet hiring as an opportunity to discuss long-term career goals within the organization.

A word to the wise, quiet hiring should not be used as a long-term solution. However, if managed correctly, quiet hiring can become an important tool that allows businesses to tackle short-term needs swiftly and efficiently while achieving maximum productivity by using their existing talent pool. By understanding how quiet hiring works and building an effective strategy, businesses can benefit from this approach as a way to bring in new skills and maintain a competitive edge in the future.