How To Ensure Your Quiet Hiring Practices Don’t Lead to Quiet Firing

First, let’s start with “What is Quiet Hiring?” According to a Forbes.com interview with Emily Rose McRae, Senior Director of Research at Gartner, “quiet hiring is when an organization acquires new skills without actually hiring new full-time employees.” Internal quiet hiring happens when an employer uses internal resources to fill a role; external quiet hiring is bringing in a consultant to fill the role.

Both practices have their pros and cons. But both, if not implemented properly, can lead to quiet quitting. Yes, quiet quitting is also a real thing. It is when the employee begins doing minimal or substandard work in response to dissatisfaction in the work environment. Quiet quitting is also associated with employees that are experiencing burnout that is fueled by additional work. The organization may see the additional work as an opportunity for the employee to expand their skill set, but the employee may see it as trying to do the same amount of work with fewer people. Employees begin to feel unheard and underappreciated. Their response to this environment results in putting in less effort or having a lack of zeal for the work they do. They can also become disengaged at which point low productivity sets in; otherwise known as quiet quitting. Hiring a consultant can reverse quiet quitting among FTEs if done properly. Hiring an experienced consultant can take the day-to-day workload off employees so they have time to focus on more important work or a special project. A consultant can also work alongside an employee, helping them meet their deliverables and stay within the expected timeline. A consultant can also be used as a mentor for an employee, to help build a new skill – like project management. The outcome from these scenarios is an increase in morale, expertise, and overall employee satisfaction. By partnering the employee and consultant together, the employee sees it as a way to increase their skills and morale instead of seeing the consultant as a threat and looking to take over their job.

Consultants bring a fresh perspective to organizations and their projects.  They carry knowledge and expertise gained from working with various clients in different environments that can be beneficial to your project. Because they are put in many unique situations, consultants usually have strong analytical and problem-solving skills. By bringing on a consultant, your organization can acquire new skills and increase morale without the long-term expense of a new FTE.

If your organization is experiencing similar issues, I’d love to talk about how you can strategically use consultants to improve the work environment for your employees while keeping your projects on track. You can contact me at rena.hrivnak@patriotservices.company.