Quiet Hiring: A Smart HR Strategy or an Increased Burden for Employees?

 

Introduction

In a world where businesses are increasingly in need of workers for their changing needs and organizations are continuously struggling to fill vacancies, many are turning to the alternative of quiet hiring. Employers deal with skill shortages by redistributing tasks, promoting internal mobility and developing employees' skills. This has several organizational benefits, but fairness, workload and employee wellbeing are of concern.

Understanding Quiet Hiring

Quiet hiring is when a company gives someone a new position, a temporary job, or a stretch assignment, but doesn't hire a new person to fill the position. This could also involve retraining workers to respond to new organizational requirements. The strategy will enable organizations to adapt to market fluctuations and minimize hiring expenses and the loss of institutional expertise by existing employees (Armstrong and Pfandler, 2024).


HRM Theory in Practice

The Resource Based View (RBV) proposes that organizations can achieve competitive advantage by creating valuable internal resources, such as human capital (Barney, 1991). Quiet hiring embodies this theory by promoting the optimal use of the potential of the employees already in the company instead of external hires.


Benefits and Challenges

Quiet hiring improves flexibility in the workforce, employee development with new experiences and career opportunities, and lowers hiring expenses. Workers can get stressed, lose motivation and be less satisfied with their jobs, however, if more responsibilities are added without being acknowledged, assisted or compensated. HR should be transparent, fair, and communicating (Noor Jannah Afi, 2025).

Organizational Example

Accenture has created opportunities for employees to pivot towards a digital career through its internal mobility and continuous learning initiatives. They have been designed to address the shortage of skills and facilitate the development of employees and their retention (Shweta Modgil, 2019).

Personal Perspective

My interpretation of the concept of 'quiet hiring' is assuming it is used for real development and not to add more work to the workload, it can have positive effects on the organization as well as the individual. Training, recognition and clear progression opportunities should be provided to employees.

 


Key Takeaways

When supported by transparent HR policies and fair rewards, quiet hiring can be a valuable strategy for building flexible and resilient teams and help organizations invest in their future workforces.

Suggested Video

Gartner – What Is Quiet Hiring?
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=quiet+hiring+gartner

References

Armstrong, R. and Pfandler, C. (2024). Taming a wild new term: Exploring the concept of quiet quitting as a coping response. Employee Relations: The International Journal, 46(8). doi:10.1108/er-03-2024-0172.

Barney, J. (1991). Firm Resources and Sustained Competitive Advantage. Journal of Management, 17(1), pp.99–120. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/014920639101700108.

Noor Jannah Afi (2025). The Silent Disengagement: Exploring the Impact of Quiet Quitting on Organizational Culture. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, IX(VI), pp.1508–1530. doi:10.47772/ijriss.2025.906000121.

Shweta Modgil (2019). How Accenture is building a future-ready workforce through continuous learning. [online] People Matters. Available at: https://www.peoplematters.in/article/employee-skilling/how-accenture-is-building-a-future-ready-workforce-through-continuous-learning-21971.


 

Comments

  1. Theekshana PussepitiyaJuly 27, 2026 at 9:27 AM

    This blog raises an important question about whether quiet hiring is truly an employee development strategy or simply a way to increase workloads without additional hiring. I liked how you highlighted both sides of the issue, especially the benefits of internal mobility and the risks of employee burnout. While developing existing employees can strengthen organizations, HR professionals must ensure that new responsibilities come with appropriate support and recognition. This discussion shows that the success of quiet hiring depends not only on organizational needs but also on employee wellbeing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kavinda NagarawaththaAugust 11, 2026 at 11:35 PM

      Thank you for the great feedback! You hit the nail on the head about the central quandary of quiet hiring: how to balance genuine professional development with simply heaping on more work. I completely agree that this approach will only work if new responsibilities come with the right support, resources and recognition. Without compensation adjustments and clear growth paths, quiet hiring may very well lead to the burnout it’s intended to prevent. And at the end of the day, as you rightly pointed out, HR professionals need to be a critical bridge in this process, ensuring that the pursuit of organisational agility and efficiency is never at the expense of employe wellbeing.

      Delete
  2. Rasiah KeerthanaJuly 28, 2026 at 11:14 AM

    Good choice using RBV here; framing quiet hiring as "using the resources you already have" rather than just "doing more with less" gives it real theoretical grounding, and the blog title itself ("smart strategy or increased burden?") sets up the tension nicely. The Accenture example fits well too, showing internal mobility done with actual structure behind it. Where I did push a bit further critically: your own title promises to weigh "smart strategy" against "burden," but the piece ends up leaning fairly positive overall, with the risks (stress, unacknowledged extra work) mentioned but not really explored in depth. It might have strengthened the argument to name what actually separates the two outcomes in practice; for instance, is it fair pay and recognition that decides whether quiet hiring feels like growth or exploitation? Naming that dividing line explicitly would deliver on the sharper "or" the title is promising.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kavinda NagarawaththaAugust 11, 2026 at 11:36 PM

      Thank you for such a thoughtful and constructive critique! I am glad the Resource-Based View framing and the Accenture example resonated with you.

      You make a very fair and perceptive point—the piece does lean optimistic, and in doing so, it doesn't fully unpack the darker side of the "burden" equation. You hit the nail on the head regarding the "dividing line." The true differentiator between a mutually beneficial growth opportunity and an unfair burden is absolutely rooted in fair compensation, transparent communication, and tangible recognition. Without those crucial elements in place, "quiet hiring" quickly devolves into exploitation and a fast track to burnout.

      I really appreciate you pushing the analysis further and explicitly naming that distinction. It adds exactly the kind of critical depth the title promised and highlights a vital takeaway for any HR professional looking to implement this strategy. Thank you for elevating the conversation!

      Delete
  3. Anjali JayasingheAugust 11, 2026 at 10:52 AM

    I really enjoyed reading this blog because it explains quiet hiring in a simple and practical way. I especially liked the point that it can support employee development and internal mobility while helping organizations manage skill shortages.

    However, I was wondering, how can HR distinguish between genuine quiet hiring for employee development and simply giving existing employees extra work without proper recognition or compensation? Could this practice eventually lead to employee burnout if not managed properly?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kavinda NagarawaththaAugust 11, 2026 at 11:37 PM

      Thank you for reading and for raising such critical questions! You are absolutely right—if not managed with care and transparency, quiet hiring can quickly become a fast track to employee burnout and decreased morale.

      To distinguish between genuine employee development and simply overloading staff, HR must look at intent, alignment, and reward. Genuine quiet hiring aligns new responsibilities with an employee's long-term career goals, providing them with the necessary training, mentorship, and a clear timeline. Most importantly, it should eventually be followed by tangible recognition, such as a title change, a bonus, or an increase in compensation once the new skills are proven.

      If the additional work is permanent, unrelated to the employee's desired career path, and comes without any financial or professional acknowledgment, it is no longer a strategic HR practice—it is just task-loading. Transparent communication and fair rewards are the essential dividing lines that keep this strategy a win-win rather than an unfair burden.

      Delete

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