An increasing number of workers are experiencing “ghost growth”, an illusion of career growth without any actual advancement, a new report has found.

A survey of 1,000 workers by jobs platform MyPerfectResume found the majority of respondents think their recent career growth has all been for show by their employer and not “real”.

The report defines this as “ghost growth”: the illusion of career advancement that doesn’t come with a raise, promotion or any real change in authority.

This is a form of performative career growth filled with empty promises, without a tangible improvement such as a pay rise or more flexible working conditions, the report found.

“The findings paint a stark picture: more responsibility at work, same pay, broken trust and rising burnout.

“For many, the reward for a job well done is simply…more work.”

Ghost growth

The survey of US workers found 65 per cent of respondents had experienced “ghost growth” in some form, and more than half said that while it appears their career is progressing, it doesn’t feel like it is to them.

Two-thirds of respondents said they think their workplace is engaging in “growth theatre”, and just under half think their company is trying to cover up career plateaus with superficial opportunities.

The most common form of ghost growth is being assigned new duties without an accompanying raise or promotion, with just under 80 per cent of respondents saying they had experienced this.

More than half of respondents said they had been promised a promotion or opportunities that never eventuated, and more than a third said they had never been adequately compensated for an expanded workload.

This is taking a significant toll on workers, with just under a quarter feeling frustrated by ghost growth, and one in five experiencing burnout because of it.

Just over 15 per cent of those surveyed said they had started looking for another job because of fake career growth and which has led them to disengage from their work.

“Superficial or slow career growth might check boxes on performance reviews, but it’s not fooling employees,” the report said.

“Workers want meaningful progress, measured in compensation, career trajectory and respect, not just tasks and titles,” the report concluded.

“When growth is just for show, it doesn’t inspire; it alienates.

“And when 65 per cent of your workforce sees through it, the cost isn’t just lost trust, it’s lost talent.

“If employers want to retain their best people, they need to stop performing and start delivering.”

Growth theatre eroding trust

More than two in three respondents said they had considered quitting their job over issues such as getting a promotion without a pay rise, and more than a quarter had followed through with leaving their job.

The pressure to appear like your career is progressing healthily and to mask these issues is coming from within organisations and the outside world, the report found.

The majority of respondents said they felt pressure to appear like they are growing in their job even when they’re not, with 19 per cent saying this comes from their employers, 16 per cent saying it’s from their peers or social media, and 17 per cent saying it’s a combination of the two.

To combat this, the number one request of employees is for higher pay, followed by improved work-life balance, leadership responsibilities and upskilling.

Another recent report identified a new hidden workplace crisis defined as “quiet cracking”, with employees experiencing prolonged unhappiness contributing to disengagement and uncertainty about the future.

A study earlier this year found that up to one in five Australians are “languishing” in their jobs and dissatisfied with their work, having a potentially billion-dollar impact on productivity.