Recruiting Future Podcast: How Quiet Hiring Can Tackle the UK Tech Skills Shortage

I was lucky enough to be given the chance to talk about “quiet hiring” on the Recruiting Future podcast by Matt Alder. Here is a summary of what we discussed and links to some of the case studies and tools.

In 2023, Gartner (where I was lucky to work for 3 years) unveiled “quiet hiring” as a pivotal trend in the future of work as seen in the graphic below:

But what exactly is quiet hiring, and how can it address the pressing tech skills shortage? Emily Rose-McRae from Gartner explains it best:

Quiet Hiring is the trend to acquire new skills and capabilities without adding new full-time employees.

In our recent research on the UK tech hiring landscape we found the following:

• 91% of tech leaders are impacted by the tech skill shortage

• 58% currently have a hiring freeze

• Software Engineering, Data Engineering, Digital Marketing and Cyver Security roles are most impacted by the skill shortage

• 61% of tech leaders expect to make less permanent hires in 2024

These data points highlight why it is so important to adopt quiet hiring strategies to deal with skill shortages and hiring freezes. In the podcast I go into much for detail on the strategies but here is a quick overview of the three core components of quiet hiring:

Internal Mobility

Matt Alder talks about this in his new book, Digital Talent. Matt shared that only 5% of companies look internally before hiring externally, with hiring freezes that is no longer an option for many. 

An Internal Talent Marketplace is a great way to implement internal mobility within an organisation. It facilitates the matching of employees with available opportunities, projects, or roles based on their skills, expertise, and career aspirations. It operates similarly to an external job marketplace but is exclusive to the organisation, allowing employees to explore and apply for internal opportunities that align with their interests and goals.

Through the Internal Talent Marketplace, employees can discover new career paths, develop new skills, and contribute to projects outside of their immediate team or department, fostering a culture of mobility, collaboration, and continuous learning within the organisation.

As mentioned on the podcast, Gigged.AI is the first company in the world to offer a free trial of an Internal Talent Marketplace. Click here to join the waitlist.

Upskilling and Reskilling

Upskilling and reskilling initiatives in the context of tech roles involve strategies implemented by organisations to enhance the skill sets of their employees to meet the evolving demands of the technology landscape. Upskilling refers to the process of providing additional training and education to existing employees to help them acquire new skills or deepen their expertise in areas relevant to their current roles or future career aspirations within the tech industry.

On the other hand, reskilling involves retraining employees in entirely new skill sets to transition them into different roles or functions within the organisation, often in response to technological advancements or shifts in business priorities. These initiatives are crucial for ensuring that employees remain competitive and adaptable in a rapidly changing tech environment, enabling companies to stay ahead of the curve and effectively leverage emerging technologies to drive innovation and growth. My favourite example of this is how BT reskilled their sales teams to be cyber security analysts.

Contingent Hiring

Contingent hiring, also known as flexible or temporary hiring, involves the recruitment and employment of individuals on a non-permanent basis to fulfil specific roles or projects within an organisation. Unlike traditional full-time employment, contingent workers are typically engaged for a defined period, often on a contract or freelance basis. Contingent hiring allows companies to quickly scale their workforce up or down in response to fluctuating business demands, access specialised skills or expertise for short-term projects, and manage costs effectively by avoiding the overhead associated with permanent employees. It provides organisations with the flexibility to adapt to changing market conditions while accessing a diverse talent pool with a range of experiences and perspectives.

You can sign up here for the Gigged.AI Open Talent Platform for free, post a gig for free and only pay when you make a contingent hire (15% flat fee which includes IR35 indemnification and payments).

In summary, quiet hiring is much more than a buzzword. Tech leaders, HR professionals and TA leaders should look at piloting the three key strategies of internal mobility, upskilling/reskilling and contingent hiring in 2024. More of our blogs and free guides can be found here.