More and more Russian companies are adopting what is often called silent recruitment. Instead of casting a wide net to hire from outside, they offer new vacancies to current employees already on the payroll. This trend was highlighted by Kommersant, referencing a study conducted on the Lerna.ru platform. In practical terms, it means internal mobility is becoming a bigger driver of growth for many organizations, particularly in larger firms that operate in finance, banking, and construction.
The research finds that nearly half of surveyed firms practice some form of silent hiring. This tendency is most visible among large enterprises, where the need to fill roles quickly collides with a tight external talent market. The pattern suggests that internal candidates are increasingly preferred when a vacancy arises, reducing the lag time associated with external recruitment and enabling smoother transitions within teams.
Respondents point to several motivations behind this method. A primary driver is the challenge of finding suitable external applicants, especially for specialized or senior roles. Additionally, many companies report saving time and resources by promoting from within. In some cases, internal transfers account for 40 to 60 percent of all vacancies, a sign that internal career ladders are becoming a core component of people strategy.
Yet silent hiring comes with trade-offs. Managers note that moving an employee into a new role without targeted training can leave gaps in job knowledge. The shift can blur role definitions and boundaries within the team, potentially dampening collaboration and slowing the flow of fresh ideas from outside the organization. Despite these drawbacks, survey respondents expect the share of internal hires to grow as external recruitment remains constrained by market conditions and talent shortages.
An illustrative example from TechnoNIKOL shows a rapid evolution: the internal relocation program grew its share of hires from 7 percent in 2017 to 88 percent in 2023, underscoring how a deliberate emphasis on internal mobility can reshape staffing patterns over time (Kommersant via Lerna.ru study).
Historically, many Russians referred to ways to boost earnings through internal opportunities as a practical pathway to career advancement. The conversation around silent hiring reflects a broader shift toward leveraging existing human capital, rather than always seeking external talent. For organizations, the approach can deliver faster fills and deeper employee engagement, while for workers it offers clearer pathways to progression and more tailored role development.
As the labor market continues to tighten, enterprises across sectors that rely on skilled labor may increasingly rely on internal transfers to meet their staffing needs. The balance between preserving team cohesion and injecting new ideas remains a central challenge, but the momentum behind silent recruitment appears likely to persist. Companies that manage this balance well can sustain growth and maintain a competitive edge while cultivating a more dynamic, experienced workforce.