Quiet hiring is rapidly reshaping how organisations address talent gaps, manage change, and build future-ready workforces. Unlike traditional recruitment, quiet hiring focuses on internal mobility, reskilling, and redeployment of existing staff into newly created or evolving roles—often without external job postings or formal promotions.
Rethinking Talent in the Skills Economy
The workforce of 2025 is more dynamic, distributed, and digitally skilled than ever before. In response, employers are reimagining their recruitment playbooks—not with more hiring, but with more intelligent use of existing talent.
Quiet hiring has emerged as a pragmatic response to shifting economic and workplace realities. While the term may sound like corporate doublespeak, it’s rooted in legitimate operational needs:
- Speed
- Cost control
- Agility
- Skills-first workforce planning
Rather than posting jobs or hiring externally, companies are quietly redesigning their org charts—moving internal staff into critical roles and stretching capabilities to meet immediate demands. But this new model raises fundamental questions about transparency, compensation, and long-term engagement.
What Is Quiet Hiring?
Quiet hiring is defined as the strategic redeployment or reassignment of employees into new roles or projects without publicly advertising the opportunity or engaging in formal hiring procedures.
Core Tactics Include:
- Assigning staff to cover vacant roles on a temporary basis
- Reallocating employees to high-priority initiatives
- Assigning “stretch” responsibilities that mirror promotions
- Hiring contingent or contract workers while shifting full-time staff internally
- Reskilling staff into new departments (e.g. IT, cybersecurity, ESG)
Unlike traditional promotions or job transfers, quiet hiring often lacks formal title changes, compensation reviews, or career path mapping—making it efficient, but also controversial.
Market Drivers Accelerating Quiet Hiring
Skills Gaps and Labour Shortages
In the US, nearly 70% of employers report difficulty hiring for open roles (SHRM, 2024). Digital, technical, and data-oriented roles are particularly hard to fill. Rather than competing in oversaturated external talent pools, employers are increasingly investing in internal talent pipelines.
Economic Volatility
Rising inflation, cautious capital expenditure, and unpredictable economic cycles have led companies to pause external hiring. Quiet hiring provides workforce flexibility without the cost burden of onboarding or redundancy risk.
Shift to Skills-Based Hiring
The traditional CV is being replaced by skills-first frameworks. Gartner forecasts that by 2026, 40% of large organisations will rely on internal skills databases to redeploy talent, instead of posting roles externally.
Retention and Engagement
Employees—especially Millennials and Gen Z—seek rapid career growth and skill variety. Quiet hiring offers short-term challenges and project diversity, which can temporarily satisfy engagement without long-term commitments.
Benefits and Risks: Quiet Hiring as a Double-Edged Sword
Benefits for Employers
| Area | Impact |
| Cost Efficiency | Reduced external hiring and recruitment spend |
| Faster Time-to-Fill | Internal hires can pivot into roles immediately |
| Organisational Agility | Resilient response to market or operational shifts |
| Skill Optimisation | Better use of existing talent and hidden potential |
Benefits for Employees
- Opportunities to expand scope of work
- Exposure to high-impact initiatives
- Internal visibility and recognition
- Acceleration of informal career growth
Risks and Challenges
- Burnout and Overload: Quiet hiring often adds responsibilities without adjusting capacity
- Unclear Accountability: Vague role boundaries lead to confusion and conflict
- Compensation Inequity: Employees may feel exploited if not fairly rewarded
- Transparency Gaps: Unannounced changes can erode psychological safety and trust
Quiet hiring must be balanced with structured communication, fair recognition, and long-term planning to avoid disengagement.
Global Comparison: US vs UK Practices
The United States: Scaling Quiet Hiring as Standard Practice
In the US, quiet hiring has evolved from trend to mainstream workforce strategy. Aided by robust internal mobility platforms, high digital transformation rates, and a culture that embraces dynamic role changes, American companies—particularly in the technology, finance, and healthcare sectors—have institutionalised quiet hiring practices.
The Gartner 2023 report found that over one-third of US employers used quiet hiring to fill priority roles without launching formal recruitment campaigns. This includes temporary project-based redeployment, identifying high-potential employees for lateral moves, or shifting underutilised teams to revenue-generating functions. Large-scale employers such as Google, Meta, and Amazon have led the way by building internal job marketplaces and reskilling academies.
However, in the US, compensation adjustments for these changes often lag behind responsibility increases, raising concerns about fairness and job satisfaction—especially among mid-career professionals.
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The United Kingdom: Quiet Practices Under a Different Name
In the UK, the terminology “quiet hiring” isn’t yet common. However, the practice is familiar—especially within large public sector employers and regulated industries. Terms like redeployment, role reallocation, and secondment are more likely to be used when reassigning staff internally.
The NHS, local government bodies, and civil service departments regularly reassign professionals to fill skills gaps during demand surges—such as during the COVID-19 pandemic or seasonal NHS staffing shortages. Additionally, large retailers, banks, and energy providers in the UK have started to explore internal talent mobility strategies using AI-driven tools and workforce analytics.
However, British labour law and unionised environments mean UK employers face more legal scrutiny and expectations for transparency when roles change without formal HR involvement. This introduces a layer of complexity that US employers may not encounter as directly.
Case Studies: Quiet Hiring in Practice
Google: Structured Agility at Scale
Google has long embraced internal mobility as a cultural and strategic norm. Through “20% projects” and “career lattice” frameworks, employees are encouraged to explore new roles and initiatives. In recent years, this has evolved into a more structured redeployment model, especially as Google faces increased pressure to operate efficiently during periods of headcount reduction.
When Google paused external hiring across non-core areas in 2023, many employees were quietly reassigned to support the launch of new AI products like Bard and enhancements to Google Search. These shifts were not framed as promotions—but often involved increased responsibility, new KPIs, and higher visibility.
Google’s talent marketplace platform enables managers to quickly identify internal candidates based on skills, experience, and project history. This system exemplifies how quiet hiring can be scaled effectively when coupled with transparency and support.
IBM: Enterprise Reskilling at Scale
IBM has implemented a global reskilling program, SkillsBuild, designed to transition tens of thousands of employees from legacy IT roles to high-demand areas such as cloud computing, cybersecurity, and AI engineering. Employees receive learning paths, mentorship, and stretch assignments—many of which result in quiet reassignments into entirely new roles.
Rather than laying off workers and rehiring, IBM opts to build future-proof skills internally, a move that reduces attrition and boosts engagement. IBM’s success demonstrates how quiet hiring, when properly resourced and communicated, can be a proactive workforce strategy rather than a reactive cost-saving tool.
Walmart: Operational Redeployment for Resilience
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Walmart reassigned staff across departments—from storefront to logistics, cashiering to warehouse roles—on a near-daily basis. Though unlabelled at the time, this was a form of mass-scale quiet hiring designed to preserve business continuity without large-scale external hiring.
Walmart’s model demonstrates that even in high-turnover sectors, internal mobility can help buffer external shocks—especially when combined with operational flexibility, digital workforce management systems, and clear manager communication.
Strategic Recommendations for HR Leaders
Quiet hiring presents a strategic opportunity—but only if managed responsibly. To maximise the benefits while reducing friction, HR leaders should follow these five actionable recommendations:
Build and Maintain a Talent Intelligence System
Successful quiet hiring requires deep visibility into employee skills, interests, aspirations, and learning progress. Organisations should deploy talent intelligence platforms—like Gloat, Workday, or Eightfold.ai—that allow for real-time matching between employees and internal opportunities based on skills and potential, not just current job titles.
This helps companies avoid ad hoc or biased reassignments while empowering employees to proactively engage with career paths.
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Develop Policy and Frameworks for Internal Mobility
Quiet hiring becomes risky when it feels opportunistic. HR leaders should formalise processes by developing internal mobility policies that include:
- Eligibility criteria for lateral/role expansion
- Guidelines on compensation adjustment
- Communication templates for managers
- Transparent progression timelines
This provides structure while maintaining the agility that quiet hiring requires.
Equip Managers with Training and Support
Line managers play a pivotal role in implementing quiet hiring strategies. However, many lack the tools to assess employee readiness or manage transitions empathetically. HR teams should develop manager enablement toolkits focused on:
- Coaching for mobility conversations
- Avoiding unconscious bias in stretch assignments
- Setting performance expectations for redefined roles
- Supporting employees during high-change periods
Embed Equity, Inclusion, and Transparency Principles
Without proper checks, quiet hiring can reinforce existing inequalities—especially if stretch assignments or role changes are only given to those “in the know.” HR leaders must track mobility patterns across gender, race, tenure, and role level to ensure equitable access.
Additionally, organisations should integrate internal job changes into formal recognition cycles—promotions, bonuses, or L&D rewards—rather than treating them as invisible labour.
Recommendations for Employees
For workers, quiet hiring can represent either an exciting opportunity or an overwhelming challenge. Here’s how to navigate it strategically:
Clarify Expectations and Document Deliverables
If you’re asked to take on a new project or responsibility outside your current scope, don’t assume it’s a permanent change—or that it will be recognised later. Politely ask for a written outline of:
- New objectives or KPIs
- Duration or timeline of the reassignment
- Resources or training available
- How success will be evaluated
Document your contributions to support future promotion conversations.
Make the Case for Recognition
If your scope has increased substantially, initiate a compensation or performance review conversation. Use data points—metrics, outcomes, feedback—to make your case. Link your contributions directly to business value (e.g., customer impact, revenue growth, process efficiency).
Quiet hiring doesn’t always lead to automatic pay bumps—but advocating for yourself can.
Continue Building Future-Proof Skills
Use internal learning platforms, certifications, or even self-directed learning to build capabilities that align with business needs. Skills in data analytics, cybersecurity, ESG reporting, or AI integration are increasingly sought after across industries.
Upskilling proactively positions you as a go-to candidate for future internal opportunities.
Know When to Say No
Not all quiet hiring is healthy. If you’re repeatedly given new responsibilities without support or recognition, it’s okay to set boundaries. Raise the issue with your manager, HR, or career advisor. Quiet hiring should not be a substitute for filling vacant roles indefinitely.
The Future of Hiring: From Quiet to Skills-First
Quiet hiring is not just a workaround—it’s a precursor to systemic change.
As organisations move towards skills-based workforce models, internal talent mobility will become the cornerstone of hiring strategies.
Expect the following in the next 3–5 years:
- Real-time, AI-driven internal job matching
- Pay-for-skill compensation bands
- Internal gig work systems and rotational role markets
- Increased transparency between performance, learning, and advancement
Quiet hiring is the bridge between a rigid job architecture and a flexible, skill-focused future.
Final Thoughts
As organisations navigate a shifting labour landscape defined by digital transformation, economic complexity, and evolving employee expectations, quiet hiring has emerged as more than a reactive measure—it is becoming a strategic imperative.
At its best, quiet hiring enables companies to act with agility, optimise internal capabilities, and foster a culture of growth and adaptability. For employees, it offers opportunities to gain visibility, develop new competencies, and chart non-linear career paths in dynamic industries.
However, the true value of quiet hiring lies not in its discretion, but in how transparently, equitably, and sustainably it is implemented.
Companies that leverage quiet hiring successfully will be those that embed it within a broader skills-first framework—where internal mobility is structured, recognition is intentional, and learning is constant. Conversely, organisations that treat it as a shortcut risk employee burnout, disengagement, and loss of trust.
In the years ahead, we anticipate a continued shift toward AI-powered internal mobility systems, data-informed workforce planning, and skills-based compensation models. Quiet hiring may have started in silence—but it speaks volumes about where the future of work is headed.
Now is the time for HR leaders, business strategists, and employees to reimagine career mobility—not as a hidden mechanism, but as a core pillar of modern workforce strategy.
