Jolene Rosario, who manages an Indiana recruiting agency, used to have a regular routine in her job – managing payroll, workers’ compensation insurance, settling invoices, and responding to job inquiries from state agencies.

However, a few months back, after a colleague left due to the company’s declining revenues, her supervisor asked her to add front-office coordination to her responsibilities. This new role included greeting visitors, interviewing candidates, onboarding new hires, answering phone calls, and even cleaning the restroom.

“I thrive on structure,” said Rosario, 38, who has dedicated nine years to the staffing agency. “It left me feeling overwhelmed.”

With the economy cooling down after a surge post-pandemic, many companies facing rising costs and stagnant sales are reducing their hiring. Instead, they are opting to train their current employees to take on additional tasks when coworkers resign or are let go. This often translates to employees managing multiple roles, which can enhance their skills and improve their resumes. Yet, many do not receive a pay increase, at least not immediately, causing frustration among staff, industry experts, and business owners, according to reports.

Are companies still investing in employee training?

A recent Harris Poll for Express Employment Professionals revealed that one-third of hiring managers are scaling back or maintaining hiring plans due to budget limitations or challenges in filling roles. To manage with a smaller workforce, 68% of these managers intend to provide training to current employees to gain new skills for their existing roles or to prepare for different positions.

Rosario’s manager, Alyssa Chumbley, has applied similar strategies with her staff and has seen it among clients in various manufacturing sectors in northwest Indiana. The purchasing patterns of Americans have shifted from goods like electronics and furniture, which they bought during lockdowns, to services such as travel and dining out. This shift has led to a decrease in factory output for 20 of the past 21 months, as reported by the Institute for Supply Management.

“Over the last two years, my revenue has dropped by 50%, and my team has been reduced from 14 to 7 through layoffs and natural attrition,” Chumbley, who owns Express franchises in Valparaiso and Schererville, Indiana, explained.

“I now depend on my highly skilled employees to take on tasks that might not typically fall under their job descriptions to meet business requirements,” she added, noting that many local manufacturing partners share a similar perspective. To facilitate this transition, Chumbley has implemented new technologies, such as an automated telephone system to route calls to employees.

How rapidly are wages increasing?

In recent years, an influx of cash through stimulus checks during the COVID-19 pandemic led many to spend freely. This resulted in increased sales for companies, which faced significant labor shortages and high turnover, prompting them to hire aggressively. From January 2021 to September 2024, average wages in the private sector rose by 18.1%, as per the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Though inflation has recently stabilized, and the Federal Reserve has begun to lower interest rates, labor costs remain elevated due to the Fed’s aggressive rate hikes in 2022 and 2023 aimed at curbing inflation. In the meantime, many businesses are experiencing flat or declining sales as consumers deal with ongoing high prices and debt, having also spent their pandemic savings.

The National Federation of Independent Business’s monthly survey showed that in September, the difference between small businesses reporting lower versus higher sales over the past three months reached its highest level since 2020.

This shift has caused companies to hire more judiciously, with some even laying off employees. U.S. hiring levels in August were the lowest since November 2016, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Could job overload lead to burnout?

Consequently, many businesses are assigning more duties to existing employees. However, some unions in northwest Indiana oppose the notion of compelling workers to take on tasks outside their job descriptions, as noted by Chumbley. She mentioned that recently, three operators at a plastics factory were laid off after they resisted adding additional responsibilities to their workloads amid colleague layoffs.

Experts also express concern regarding burnout, which surged when many workers left the labor force during the pandemic, resulting in heavier workloads for remaining employees.

“When the demands of a job exceed the resources available to manage those demands, burnout, fatigue, and turnover become likely,” explained Mindy Shoss, a professor of industrial and organizational psychology at the University of Central Florida. “This situation presents a crisis for well-being, public health, and the economy.”

This scenario can have detrimental effects not just on employees but on employers as well, she noted.

However, Shoss emphasized that when employees are equipped with the necessary tools, taking on additional responsibilities can also be an opportunity for career advancement.

‘I simply adapt’

Rosario, who manages Chumbley’s office, shared that she felt quite overwhelmed when she took on the role of front-office coordinator a few months back. She was accustomed to a structured schedule that involved processing payroll at the beginning of the week. Dealing with unexpected visitors or job applicants disrupted her established routine.

However, she soon realized she could rearrange her tasks, allowing her to complete payroll later in the week. “I just let it happen,” she commented. While her salary remains the same for now, she is optimistic about a future pay increase.

She finds enjoyment in her new responsibilities, especially since they often involve interacting with job candidates, which provides a refreshing change from the paperwork she typically manages as office manager. Although she previously had some quiet time, she now feels that “The day flows for me.” She added, “I’m operating more effectively.”

John Roller, another Express franchisee from Manchester, New Hampshire, noted that around 20% of job descriptions he receives now describe “blended” roles, requiring candidates to perform various tasks, such as direct sales along with sales management and marketing.

He mentioned that many workers in manufacturing and call centers feel frustrated because these additional responsibilities often do not come with increased pay. Companies believe they have already raised wages significantly in recent years and find it reasonable to slightly broaden job expectations.

Ruben Resendez, CEO of Adhere, a digital marketing firm for colleges, detailed a similar situation.

As sales have slowed during this part of the year, Adhere, located in San Jose, California, decided to lay off three data analysts and reassign their tasks to four marketing and “client success” employees who were reliant on the analysts’ insights.

If sales and profits rise, “That’s when we can discuss salary adjustments,” Resendez explained. He emphasized that employees are already gaining from acquiring new skills, stating, “It’s beneficial for their careers and enhances their resumes.”

A key factor in Resendez’s decision was that all 24 employees transitioned to remote work since the pandemic, which eliminated daily commutes and provided them with more flexibility. “Some were just sitting around,” he explained. “They had a bit too much free time.”

‘I don’t feel overwhelmed’

One firm has adopted a more extensive strategy to broaden employee roles.

Your Ad Here, a law firm specializing in marketing, spent nine months searching for a vice president or COO to take on management duties, allowing founding partner Alina Lee to concentrate on business growth and strategy.

However, some candidates didn’t fit the company culture, and others had salary expectations that were too high following the recent pay increases. After significant growth post-pandemic, sales stagnated over the last year, she noted.

Responding to this, Lee compiled a list of numerous duties that the new VP would assume, such as hiring, payroll, marketing, and taxes, and asked her 11 employees to rank their interest in these tasks and take a skills assessment.

Most of the functions were willingly shared among the firm’s personnel, including six lawyers. Katerina Velanova, a full-time attorney, also manages the company’s malpractice insurance, oversees new employee orientation, organizes the annual retreat, and helps monitor staff productivity.

“I don’t feel burdened by these administrative tasks,” Velanova stated. “I chose the tasks I enjoy the most.”