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Quiet hiring is No. 1 workplace trend in 2023

February 2, 2023

Companies finding talent without making full-time hires

From Seasonedpros.ca Insights Lab

If “quiet quitting” was the job buzzword of 2022, then “quiet hiring” is the workplace trend for 2023.

Quiet quitting created a sensation on social media platforms such as TikTok and LinkedIn as some employees declared that they would do their job but would not go over and above the call of duty.  

But as the economic situation became more uncertain, the buzz around quiet quitting started to quiet down and quiet hiring started to show up.

Quiet hiring hasn’t made the same splash but it might be a bigger trend than quiet quitting ever was.

Quiet hiring ranked as a top trend for this year

Companies are using quiet hiring to fill talent gaps and skills in demand without making full-time hires.

Gartner, a technological research and consulting firm, rated quiet hiring as the number one workplace trend for 2023.

According to Gartner research, companies want to reduce the time and costs of hiring full-time employees. In a critical talent shortage, they don’t want to spend six to nine months on a search. They also don’t want to incur the costs of an expensive search for full-time talent with headhunters.

Instead, they are using quiet hiring to speed up talent acquisition and mitigate the risk of making new full-time hires.

Key talent procured internally and externally 

Quiet hiring can happen in two ways. Leaders search internally for talent with transferable skillsets and then reassign them to priority roles.

Companies also outsource key roles to contract talent who work on a part-time, interim or fractional basis. 

This cuts down on the cost of a full-time talent acquisition and often generates skills, productivity and insights equivalent to that of a full-time hire.

Quiet hiring fuelled by economic outlook and talent shortages

With fears of an economic slowdown, companies are pulling back hiring.  In the tech sector, there have been high-profile laid-offs, while other organizations have imposed hiring freezes.

At the same time, organizations are still facing talent shortages. They need experience and skills to continue with their growth plans. Companies focused on innovation require fresh ideas which sometimes come from outside of the organization.

Many companies have established relationships with organizations that match their needs with contract and fractional talent, saving on recruitment and hiring costs of full-time employees. Establishing a talent pipeline speeds up the supply of professionals to fill key roles.

Quiet hiring requires transparency and communication

Quiet hiring fills talent gaps quickly and more cost-efficiently, but Gartner researchers say it requires a different mindset in leaders and HR managers.

Organizations that use this talent strategy should be transparent with their workforce and explain why employees are being moved around and outsourced on a contract basis. 

Strong communication will help employees understand how quiet hiring gives them opportunities for advancement. This also provides the rationale for contract hiring from outside the organization.

Gartner says properly managed quiet hiring will help the organization achieve goals, manage costs and acquire key talent.

SeasonedPros.ca is an on-demand business talent source. Clients with an immediate need for experienced talent trust us to source professionals for project, interim and part-time roles. Each professional in our national database has 20 + years of business experience. We provide our clients 2-4 four vetted professionals in 10 business days or less

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