Quiet Hiring in the Indian Corporate Sector: Employee Perceptions and Ethical Implications

This study investigates the concept of Quiet Hiring in the Indian corporate sector, focusing on employee perceptions, ethical considerations, and its impact on the psychological contract between employers and employees. Quiet hiring refers to the practice where organizations internally mobilize existing employees by assigning additional roles, responsibilities, and skill demands without offering proportional compensation, formal title changes, or transparent communication.

The research adopts a mixed-methods design, integrating a structured questionnaire administered to 50 employees across diverse Indian industries with 5 in-depth semi-structured interviews to capture lived experiences and qualitative insights. The study is grounded in established theoretical frameworks including Rousseau's Psychological Contract Theory, Herzberg's Two-Factor Motivation Theory, and Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions, with particular attention to how India's high power-distance culture and collectivist values shape employee responses to quiet hiring practices.

Key findings indicate that the majority of employees surveyed had experienced quiet hiring, perceiving it as a violation of the implicit employment agreement and a source of significant emotional exhaustion, disengagement, and reduced organizational trust. The study further identifies that fear of job loss, limited awareness of professional rights, and cultural deference to authority are primary reasons employees do not resist such practices in the Indian context.

The paper proposes an original Quiet Hiring Impact Framework linking organizational practices to employee well-being outcomes and ethical HRM governance. It concludes with actionable recommendations for HR professionals, policymakers, and organizational leaders to ensure transparent, fair, and ethically sound talent management practices in India.

This research makes an original empirical contribution to the emerging body of literature on quiet hiring, with specific relevance to developing and emerging economies.