Quiet Hiring is the next workplace trend to emerge that both managers and employees should prepare for.
As 2023 gets underway, this new strategy is gaining speed as business and organizations prepare for a slowdown in economic conditions, while still managing supply chain demands and an evolving workplace. Quiet hiring maximizes an existing workforce and may help some companies fend-off the need to reduce their labor force, as some businesses traditionally use this cost-cutting measure during economic downtowns, periods of staglflation, and recessionary periods.
Quiet hiring is when an operation acquires new skills without hiring new full-time employees. Quiet hiring may involve encouraging current employees to permanently or temporarily move into new roles or hiring short-term contractors. For many businesses, this strategy is also a solution to a hiring freeze whereby the recruitment strategy slows down to fulfill only immediate hiring needs or focus on part-time roles.
There are many benefits to the quiet hiring trend. First and foremost, it’s a strategy to develop an existing workforce and minimize layoffs. Employees also benefit from new job skills and a deeper knowledge of the organization. This also creates more job skill redundancy and cross training to help fill gaps if a position becomes open due to a permanent or short-term vacancy.
The quiet hiring trend can also involve temporarily reassigning employees to another role or department. In this case, it is important for business leaders to communicate the need for the reassignment, any details about timeframe (if possible) and what to expect in terms of training, work schedule and supervisors. It’s important for managers to clearly communicate why this temporary reassignment is important to the organization’s success as it will help affected employees feel valued and maintain morale.
Motivation in this regard is very important. To inspire employees and keep them engaged, managers must clearly articulate what tasks are expected, any training that is required, expectations for promotions, salary increases or bonuses, and any possible improvements to the work-life balance. Encourage employees to talk to their supervisors about their career goals. This open dialog will also help managers identify those team members who wish to develop their career.
For those companies who do not have the workforce to essentially “move around,” short-term contractors who can fill job-gaps is a solid solution to keep the business running during high-volume periods or to maintain production during lean financial periods where committing to new hiring or recruiting expenses isn’t a viable option.
When evaluating business needs and focusing on the year ahead, businesses who consider the quiet hiring strategy will want to ensure their HR policy addresses reassignments.
If your business is considering implementing a quiet hiring strategy, Contact Us for a complimentary 15 minute meeting with one of our HR experts. Our HR Service plans can help your business implement and manage your workplace and workforce.
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*Southland Data Processing, Inc. (“SDP”) is not a law firm. This article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon in reaching a conclusion in a particular area of law. Applicability of the legal principles discussed may differ substantially in individual situations. Receipt of this or any other SDP materials does not create an attorney-client relationship. SDP is not responsible for any inadvertent errors that may occur in the publishing process.