Recruiting Has Gone Quiet
Recruiting practices have undergone significant transformations in recent times due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Quiet firing” and “quiet quitting” in the past few years have now given way to a more innovative approach to HR called “quiet hiring” in 2023. Quiet hiring can be a positive strategy for both companies and employees, fostering growth for employers and career advancement for employees.
Quite Firing
Before COVID, “quite firing” was a way for management to make underperforming employees quit on their own instead of firing them directly. It was a strategy used to avoid confrontation and the expense involved in termination. With no raises, no opportunities, or feedback from management in sight, an employee may have become unhappy and left on their own without being formally fired.1
Embracing Remote Work and Flexibility
During the pandemic, employees that remained after the furloughs, had to work longer and harder and adjust to unfamiliar working conditions so that their companies could stay in business. Once the fear of COVID passed, however, people realized that they enjoyed the possibilities of remote work and a shortened schedule and slowly started shifting to “quiet quitting.” This meant that some people started doing the bare minimum they could at work to achieve a more fulfilling life/work balance.
The Rise of Quiet Hiring
In 2023, employees are in high demand and difficult to recruit. In response, some companies have chosen to look within their own organizations for help. Considered one of the top 10 recruiting trends of 2023 by Gartner research firm and consultancy, “quite hiring” refers to companies training existing employees to fill critical gaps in workflow. In order to do this, management is choosing to reset short-term priorities for their company in order to get the most important work done.2
Making Quiet Hiring a Positive Strategy
To make quiet hiring a positive strategy, companies should stress that it isn’t about cutting headcount to increase profits but a temporary adjustment to stay on track with objectives. Management should convey their plans and be transparent about their intentions. The positions are not meant to be permanent, but employees who choose to accept the challenge could gain new skills, increase their earnings and career standing. It is also possible that the temporary position could be become permanent.3
Benefits for Employees
For employees, Emily Rose McRae at Gartner suggests, “if there are roles within your organization that you work with a lot or that require similar skills that you think would be interesting, talk to your manager about what opportunities are available,” Ask if training could be available, and If a permanent position (with raise) might be a possibility over time.
2 https://www.businessinsider.com/quiet-hiring-work-job-workers-recession-economy-employees-2023-2