Employees are hot in pursuit of career growth, but for many, there’s only “ghost growth” to be found in the workplace. You may ask, what is ghost growth? Employees are increasingly seeing their workloads expand, with new responsibilities and challenges placed before them, but there is no parallel growth in position or pay to be found. Ghost growth has a considerable impact on employee morale, with workers unable to rise any higher in their careers despite the increasing burdens on the job.
Frustrations with this outcome are apparent, but employees also feel cornered into accepting the terms of work, with the only option left being to quit and relocate. This disbalanced workplace trend is unsustainable, both for the employee and the workplace that may soon come to stagnate.
Ghost growth is a workplace trend where employees are seeing a rise in responsibility without a similar increase in pay and benefits. (Image: Freepik)
Ghost Growth Within the Workplace Is Stunting Career Advancements for Many Employees
Ghost growth stems from a recognition gap within the modern-day workplace, where businesses are comfortable assigning more demanding work to employees without simultaneously adjusting compensation. A survey from MyPerfectResume found that 63% of US respondents claim they have experienced such ghost growth at work, with 78% adding that their responsibilities have increased without any raise or promotion added on to the change.
Only 15% of the respondents found their change in responsibility matched by a change in pay, and over 53% claimed that promotions that were promised to them never materialized. The data doesn’t stop there. Around 66% of respondents accused their employers of engaging in “growth theater” antics, proffering an illusion of progress in employee careers without offering any substantial evidence of it. These theatrical displays come in the form of superficial benefits and opportunities, with limited, realistic benefits to the employee.
This trend of ghost growth, where no promotion or pay hikes accompany responsibility shifts, is a worrying one, as it adds to the dissolution of mutual trust and respect at work. Such changes go beyond trends, showcasing many real-world implications of this subterfuge.
Ghost Growth Is a Serious Threat to Employee Morale and Workplace Retention
The rise of ghost growth, characterized by more tasks and no pay increases, is disheartening. Employees are understandably worried about their careers and the impact they will have on them in the long run. While it’s true that most continue to stay on at their jobs, almost 70% of workers have thought about quitting their jobs due to this change. The data also shows that 27% of workers have previously left jobs as a result of this trend.
The markers of career growth have remained unchanged over the years, and even among employees today, benefits like pay and a better work-life balance continue to be a priority. The young Gen Z population may be straying away from pursuing managerial and leadership roles, but not at the cost of growth and stability in their careers.
When growth in responsibility is matched by benefits like better pay, more PTO days, and other benefits, employees are in a better position to take care of their well-being, eliminating external stresses and reducing burnout. The lack of such benefits makes it harder to come to terms with the change in their workload, particularly when they remain stressed about how to broach the topic at work.
Addressing Ghost Growth Is Essential to Return Stability to the Workplace
The trend of ghost growth and the career illusions that are enforced as a replacement for actual change result in considerable disillusionment and dissatisfaction with the workplace. Unhappy workers remain on the lookout for alternative employment opportunities, even if they don’t make a move to leave at once. This constant state of distraction, paired with the burnout, affects the quality of work. Their enthusiasm to perform for an organization that isn’t willing to give back also diminishes.
Working with employees to establish a clear path of growth at the organization is one of the best ways to encourage retention. Menial benefits and changes without real promotions and pay raises can only convince employees to stay for a brief period and aren’t a healthy strategy for a business in the long run.
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