You’ve Heard of Quiet Quitting – Now, There’s Quiet Hiring

Quiet quitting was a popular trend among workers disillusioned with their jobs. In response, employers launched a new method called quiet hiring.

It involves assigning tasks for higher positions or different departments to existing employees so that they could take on more tasks. 

Quiet hiring could be a boon for those who stayed with their companies. On the other hand, it could leave doors closed for those who followed quiet quitting.

What is quiet quitting?

Photo Credit: fortune.com

We must explain what quiet quitting is before we tackle quiet hiring. According to the World Economic Forum, a man named Zaid Khan started it.

He coined the term and explained, “You’re still performing your duties, but you’re no longer subscribing to the hustle culture mentality.”

His hashtag #QuietQuitting gained over 17 million views but wasn’t the only reason behind the trend. 

The most significant factor was the COVID lockdowns. Most workers lost their jobs, and the remaining employees struggled to cover daily expenses.

We had to stay indoors due to the strict guidelines, giving us more time to reflect on our life choices. 

Eventually, many realized the hustle culture of modern workplaces was restricting them from cultivating other parts of their lives.

Soon, they adopted quiet quitting by doing the bare minimum at the office. They refused to accept more tasks and hours and left immediately after each shift.

What is quiet hiring?

Quiet Hiring, A New Workplace Trend Is Helping Companies. Here's How https://t.co/1ecq7RKeRK pic.twitter.com/rBTgPMQQLl

— NDTV (@ndtv) February 27, 2023

Employers noticed the trend, so they assigned additional high-ranking tasks to low-ranking employees.

Eventually, people called the trend quiet hiring. Research and consulting firm Gartner explained its benefits for businesses by stating:

“Quiet hiring enables organizations to strategically address acute, immediate business needs by assigning existing employees to new roles, expanding existing employees’ responsibilities through stretch and upskilling opportunities by hiring temporary workers to perform specific tasks or any combination of the three.” 

Gartner added that it could help employees expand their skills and advance their careers. If you think your company is quiet hiring you, ensure you understand the tasks.

Ask your boss why he or she chose you for the new tasks. Also, make sure you will earn additional compensation for the extra workload.

More importantly, ensure it will not interfere with other important aspects of your daily life, such as family. 

Otherwise, you might adopt the quiet hiring mindset and slack off on your new tasks. As a result, you might ruin the potential career opportunities from quiet hiring.