More than 3 in 4 American workers have been ‘quietly promoted’ with no pay raise
Nearly three-quarters of Americans report having a manager ask them to take on additional work, and when that happened, 57% felt manipulated or taken advantage of.
“Quiet promotions” don’t seem to have generated as much attention as “quiet quitting,” but the term — which means taking on greater work responsibilities without a pay increase or title change — is becoming increasingly common in today’s workplace. In fact, according to a new survey, almost 80% of American workers have been “quietly promoted” without receiving a raise.
JobSage, a career-guidance service, asked 1,000 full-time employees about this phenomenon, and the results are revealing.
After a coworker above them left the company, 67% of employees surveyed say they absorbed the work. Nearly three-quarters report having a manager ask them to take on additional work, and when that happened, 57% felt manipulated or taken advantage of. Still, 63% — nearly two-thirds — indicated they currently want a promotion or another role within their organization and are willing to take on additional tasks with the hope of being promoted.
Other commons signs that an individual has been quietly promoted include having a heavier workload than others with the same title (indicated by 68% of respondents) and working in an environment where the company would suffer if employees refused to do more (63%).
According to the survey, industries most likely to quietly promote are art and design (89%), hospitality (89%), food services (88%), government (88%), and education (81%).
What about ‘quiet thriving’?
When compiling the results of its survey, JobSage adds another “quiet” term to the mix: “quiet thriving.” This indicates “where and how employees are actually, secretly thriving right now and how employers can best create an environment where employees can do so,” according to the report.
Based on the survey, 63% of all employees are thriving in their positions, with the following industries boasting the most thriving workers: real estate (75%), nonprofit and nongovernmental organizations (71%), finance (69%), art and design (67%), architecture and construction (66%), and technology (66%).
Related: Quiet quitting: Is it more than just a better work-life balance?
Common indicators of thriving at work, according to respondents, include satisfaction with work-life balance (indicated by 46% of respondents), the work itself (32%), and career advancement (22%).
Additionally, more than 40% of respondents say a “supportive” manager would increase their potential to thrive. Supportive managers are defined as ones who trust employees, recognize their accomplishments, understand their needs and their life outside of work, advocate for their work, understand their workflow, and/or invest in career development.