First, it was quiet quitting (employee disengagement, setting boundaries for well-being, not wanting to go above and beyond) and then quiet firing (allowing employees to have bad work experiences to force them out of the organization). You can read more about these two topics on our recent blog here.
Trendy topics and buzzwords continue into 2023 with terms like quiet hiring and quiet promotion (when do the “noisy” trends start?). The talent shortage of the last few years continues; layer in some pullback on hiring due to recession worries, and it can be difficult to meet business needs. Quiet hiring refers to filling talent gaps by shifting employees to make the best use of the talent you already have (such as a temporary assignment to work in another department) or hiring a contractor to fill a role you cannot find a full-time employee for. Quiet promotion – you guessed it, is a play on the “quiet” trends that describes giving employees more work and responsibilities without a promotion or additional compensation. Examples include being asked to take on additional assignments at an advanced level above the normal job description or taking on extra work after a coworker leaves.
On the positive side, upskilling can provide an opportunity for employee professional development. On the negative side, changing job duties too much can impact compliance or lead right back to quiet quitting – or exiting the organization for a real promotion and pay increase.
These may be buzzwords but they refer to real workplace issues. It is important to pay attention to your employees’ needs and understand the best practices for engagement and motivation. Managing employees can be challenging but you have expert help available. Our professional FrankAdvice HR Consultants have years of management experience working in multiple industries and can provide solutions to help you manage your workforce. You can also learn about the top 10 mistakes managers make
here.