Ask an HR Pro: What Is Quiet Hiring?

The recent trend of “quiet” work has come full circle, from quiet quitting to quiet firing and now quiet hiring. However, the difference with this latest buzzword is that it can benefit both employers and employees. But what is quiet hiring, really? And is it something you can put into practice at your organization? We talked with Vickie Krolak, iHire HR Consultant, to break down the new phrase in this month’s Ask an HR Pro.

What is Quiet Hiring?

Krolak said quiet hiring is a new way to express other common HR concepts in employee development known as upskilling, job enhancement, and job enlargement. Or, to put it another way, quiet hiring is training and developing your current employees in new skills and giving them responsibilities or new tasks to address gaps at your company instead of hiring a new employee.

“Quiet hiring may sound new, but the idea has been around for years,” Krolak explained. “It’s also known as job enhancement (new responsibilities) or job enlargement (new tasks), and it’s something employers should be doing constantly. Developing your workers is a win-win for them and the company because they get to add new skills to their toolbox, and you fill a gap without breaking the bank on turnover or recruiting costs.”

Krolak went on to explain the differences between job enhancement and job enlargement, and how quiet hiring encompasses both.

“With job enhancement, you're giving employees opportunities to enhance their skill sets,” she said. “That allows them to take on new responsibilities when the need arises. With job enlargement, you’re giving them new tasks or assignments to address an immediate need. Quiet hiring is a combination of the two – enhancing your employees’ skills and expanding their responsibilities. While this does not guarantee a promotion, it could lead to one in the future.”

When done right, quiet hiring can keep your strongest employees around and ensures they’re engaged with their job and being developed. This could potentially prevent them from leaving or quiet quitting. But you don’t want to start assigning new duties to your staff immediately. You need to be thoughtful for it to work.

Create Your Account Today

Start Hiring

How to Implement Quiet Hiring

Quiet hiring has its benefits, but how do you put it into practice? Krolak recommended a strategic approach that accounts for your business goals and your employees’ strengths and backgrounds.

“There needs to be some strategic planning from your organization, especially around the beginning or end of the year,” she explained. “Ask yourself, ‘where do we want to go this year, and who do we have in-house that can grow professionally and help us go to that next level?’ Then, set up a meeting with those employees and explain how they can help and your intentions.”

Krolak referred to her own career history as an example. She started out in the recruiting side of human resources, but also has an admin and accounting background. When the accounting department walked out one day at one of her previous roles, the CFO asked if she could help. A few years later she found herself at another company with a similar skills gap. Then came the need for someone who could manage office supplies and other office tasks, and she stepped up to handle those, too. Each time she said yes to being “quiet hired,” she added to her knowledge, skills, and abilities. She found her passion in human resources in 2012 when her manager took the time to help develop her general knowledge in HR. Since then, she has earned both her SPHR and SHRM-CP and continues to grow.

She credits her professional development to those managers and mentors over the years that helped grow her skills. “Having a manager that develops their employees is key!” Krolak clarified. “Especially when managing Gen Z employees. As we know, this current generation is all about growing in their career.”

If the timing isn’t right to plan strategically, Krolak said filling immediate needs through quiet hiring is still acceptable. As a manager you should have a pulse on your employees and know who you can call on or develop, should an immediate need arise.

“That’s something the COVID-19 pandemic taught us back in 2020: Companies need to be able to pivot quickly. If you have a sudden skill gap or need, getting creative and tapping your internal resources can be much more efficient than waiting to hire someone new.”

Krolak cautioned against assigning too much extra work for the sake of it, though. That can backfire and lead to burnout and high turnover.

“Be careful and listen to your employees when asking them to take on new or additional responsibilities. If they’re not up for it, forcing them to do more work will only hurt you overall. Quiet hiring or employee development takes work, but less than hiring from the outside.”