First, a deluge of “quiet quitting” swept through the workforce, with employees checking out mentally while occupying a seat at the workplace table –a huge bummer all around for employers and the workers still fully engaged on the job.

Then, it was “quiet firing.” A seriously bad idea involving poor performance on the part of the employer who failed to provide adequate training, support, or career development, resulting in the employee finding their way to the door.

And now, the latest “quiet” phase trending across the employment landscape: “quiet hiring.” While the former two “quiet” trends carried a definite negative connotation, this newest development swings toward the positive in a big way. A sort of reversal of the shooting-yourself-in-the-foot reality of the “quiet firing” phenomenon –a recognition that “quiet hiring” may actually thwart “quiet quitting.”

While some may fear this newly coined term is nothing but a way to get more work out of fewer people, the reality is far better and less harmful than such a scheme.

Emily Rose McRae, senior director of research at Gartner, says, “With quiet hiring, we’re talking about an organization strategically, at a leadership level, looking at the talent they have across the organization and where the critical gaps are and finding ways to fill those.”

While “quiet hiring” is often an internal process involving workers already on the company roster, there is also an external element. Sometimes, outsourcing specific tasks or projects to contract workers is the best way to manage short-term staffing needs. Drawing from a pool of experienced contractors and freelancers to fill a hole can be smart and effective.

The benefits of “quiet hiring” impact both sides of the employment table.

  • Already-proven employees who don’t have to be recruited result in less risk, lower costs, and more timely filing of positions, which will protect the meeting of deadlines and goals.
  • Upskilling and reskilling of current employees bolster morale and boost engagement levels, impacting the company culture and reputation as a desirable employer.

Challenges to be aware of include—

  • The shuffling of employees can cause pesky ongoing workforce gaps that may snowball without close monitoring. Learn to recognize when outsourcing is the best solution and when “quiet hiring” should be put aside to hire a new employee.
  • Employee burnout can tag along with “quiet hiring” if too little attention is paid to workload levels and overall expectations. Be watchful for the signs and be ready with workable solutions.

The roundtable discussions and purposeful strategizing, suggested by McRae, will maximize the benefits of “quiet hiring” and minimize the potential for adverse effects due to the challenges that tag along.

Let ASJ Partners be your staffing agency’s ally in the continuous pursuit of maximizing opportunities and tackling the challenges of today’s employment landscape. Because recruitment and staffing are all we do, we understand what marketing strategies work best during these tumultuous times. Contact our team today to see what a partnership with ASJ can do for you.