Article - 'Ghost growth' promotion practices sink employee morale

🌱 Are your people really growing — or just taking on more without reward or recognition?

A recent article from Employee Benefit News explores the dangers of 'ghost growth', this is when organisations give employees extra responsibilities, new titles, or promises of development… but without the pay, promotion, or real progress to match.

It might look like growth on the surface.
But for the people experiencing it, it can feel like being stretched thinner rather than moving forward.

👉 66% of workers say their employer engages in “growth theatre”
👉 70% have considered quitting because of it
👉 Women are more likely than men to have added responsibilities without advancement

So why does this matter?

Because 'ghost growth' quietly erodes trust, motivation, and wellbeing.
It signals to employees that effort isn’t valued and that can lead to burnout, resentment, and higher turnover.

It also raises questions around fairness and equity.
Who gets recognised, who gets left behind, and who’s carrying the hidden workload?

💭 Some wuestions worth asking:

• Are we offering real opportunities or just the illusion of them?
• Do people have the support and resources they need to succeed in new roles?
• Are we being transparent about what growth actually looks like here?

At MHScot, we see this all too often — employees overloaded under the banner of “development”, while their wellbeing quietly suffers.

Real growth feels empowering, not exhausting.
It’s something to build together — not just hand down.

Read the full article here: