Quiet hiring: I was assigned more responsibilities without a promotion or pay raise
When you’re assigned a heavier workload without fair acknowledgments or pay, you may feel burned out, unmotivated, undervalued, and frustrated. You’re going above and beyond your job title, but you aren’t being acknowledged or rewarded for it.
You’ve probably heard of the phenomenon of ‘quiet quitting’—when an employee completes the bare minimum of their job duties rather than going above and beyond at work. But have you heard of quiet hiring? Quiet hiring is a buzzword people have used to describe when an organization leverages current employees’ skills without actually hiring new full-time employees. Therefore, the current employees at the organization take on a bigger workload.
Feeling the effects of quiet hiring?
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Quiet hiring can be done in a way that promotes the benefits of both the employee and the company. Because we believe in fair pay, any increase in responsibilities and duties should come with some form of adjusted compensation to reflect your new role. And this is where we are hearing a disconnect is happening for workers. Workers find themselves doing more with less and not being compensated fairly.
As one Empower Work help seeker shared:
“I've been with the company for over 3 years now and feel like I need a promotion or a raise—also, feeling like the upper management needs to either hire more new people for new roles that myself and others are taking on without providing extra pay or time.”
The effects of quiet hiring
Burnout
When you’re assigned more work along with a pay raise and promotion, it’s usually worth the hard work you’re putting in. But even then, burnout can still occur. Burnout is a systemic issue that happens when chronic workplace stress is not properly managed. It can be both physical and mental and can negatively impact our overall health. This can be especially tough when you’re being underpaid and underappreciated. Burnout is also bad for employers. When people feel the effects of burnout, they tend to do less work and feel unmotivated.
Lack of motivation
Salary and titles are motivators in the workplace. People tend to work harder so they can make more money, or gain a higher role at work. When employers take away those motivators and make people feel less than, quiet quitting comes into play. When workers aren’t motivated, they begin to ‘act their wage’ or do the bare minimum at their job. What’s the point in working hard when they’ve received no signs of moving up a position or making more money, no matter how hard they work? Employers should want their employees to feel motivated and excited about opportunities ahead of them.
Undervalued
When an employer assigns you a workload that’s above your paygrade and title without any acknowledgement, this may leave you feeling unappreciated and undervalued. You may feel like you’re not worth the higher role, even though you’re performing at that level. Feeling undervalued can cause employees to feel less motivated to work, which causes a negative ripple effect for employers and the organization as a whole.
Frustrated
Not getting promoted or compensated fairly can make employees feel frustrated or even angry. This is a completely valid feeling. Frustrated employees can lead to a hostile work environment. This can add tension between employees and an employer.
As an Empower Work help seeker shared:
“I was verbally promised a promotion…so I trusted my Director's word on this. Unfortunately the promotion never happened, but my workload still doubled and I have been working at a Sr. Manager level all year…I've been very frustrated but I no longer want to play this game anymore.”
Steps to take for support
Quiet hiring and the emotions that follow not only negatively affects employees, but also employers and the organization. If you are experiencing the effects of quiet hiring, there are steps you can take to feel supported.
Talk to your manager. Talking to your manager about your needs can be scary. Consider approaching the topic by asking if they are open to having a conversation with you to just test the waters and gather important information about any concerns they may share up front. Then, you’ll have time to consider and prepare for those concerns when you meet.
It’s understandable that certain situations at work can add more intimidating layers—whispers of layoffs, fears of retaliation, or fears of a bad boss who would sabotage your career path. Even if things don’t go in your favor, speaking up for yourself may feel better than going through the effects of quiet hiring. A good way to discuss your salary and role with your manager is to ask to reevaluate your professional development plan at the organization.
Look for a company who values their employees. If you’re not able to talk to your boss or you’ve talked to your boss and are still not being treated fairly at work, it may be time to start looking for another job. It’s advisable to stay at your current job until you find another one to avoid financial instability, resigner’s remorse, or resume gaps. While looking for another job, do your research to make sure that this job is the right fit for you. Ask the hiring team questions that provide clarity as to what a professional development plan looks like at their organization so you have an idea of how they value their employees.
Know your worth. When you don’t feel supported by people around you, it’s important to remember to support yourself. Knowing what your worth is will help you move forward, whether your next steps are at your current job or a different organization. If you feel like you’re doing too much work for your pay and role, chances are you probably are. Know that you’re worth more, and remember to advocate for yourself or find an organization that recognizes your worth as much as you do.
What do you need to feel valued?
Before taking any of these steps, it’s important to ask yourself: what do I need to feel valued? Ask yourself the right questions to help guide yourself in the right direction. If you need support, a sounding board or an idea partner, reach out to a peer counselor. If you find yourself feeling burned out, unmotivated, undervalued or frustrated as a result of quiet hiring, Empower Work peer counselors are just a text away. Find your next steps by texting 510-674-1414 for free, confidential support.
*Note: Empower Work provides non-legal support for workplace challenges. This information, while authoritative, is not legal advice or guaranteed for legality. Employment laws and regulations vary by state. We recommend consulting with state resources for specific interpretation and decisions. If you believe you were discriminated against in violation of the law, we recommend you seek legal advice.