Quiet Hiring? Let's try Efficient Positioning!

 

In the wake of last year's catchphrase phenomenon "Quiet Quitting"- doing only what you are paid to do and nothing more than what is in your job description and "Quiet Firing"-firing someone without firing them, where that person is denied all opportunities for advancement and development in the job.
This year begins with companies using the term "Quiet Hiring". This to me is just what companies should have been doing all along when utilizing existing staff.  I would rather call it Efficient Positioning; Upskilling people within your organization and promoting within. This is not a new concept. Some managers get so comfortable with whom they have running things within their organizations and care little if those employees want to advance to not. They overlook talent and loyalty that is right under their noses.

I have two stances on this matter. As a manager of people, you must interact with and know your employees. If there is a person who is comfortable in a position and does a great job, why not leave them there to let them do their job? How efficient is that person for the organization?

Stance one: leave them there and let them continue to do the work that they have been doing accurately and timely. They are happy with their pay and their job. Why upset or promote someone who is not ready or willing to take on more tasks or responsibilities? If all your employees are like this, then there is a management motivation and training issue within your organization. Not all employees are happy with their pay and work, they are looking for other opportunities. You need to probe to find the ones with upward growth potential and nurture them.

Stance two: Find someone who can do their job and any other tasks that overlap with a needed or unfilled position within the company. Why pay two employees who do the same or similar jobs when a job description and salary change can be made? By doing this both positions are covered, and an existing, talent-driven employee makes more money when the added tasks are given. This not only upsizes the employees’ potential for future growth but also gives a value-added experience for the employee and employer.

Reviewing organizational structure and creating a job analysis needs to be done to fill the needed positions with existing talent.

If this sounds like something you or your company could benefit from, we would love to help you and your organization fill the gaps with current loyal talent.