Shadow stand-ins: Secret job outsourcing on the rise
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES — In an era of remote work and digital connectivity, a hidden trend is emerging in the corporate world: employees secretly outsourcing their own jobs.
This practice, known as “shadow stand-ins,” has gained traction across various industries, raising questions about workplace ethics and the changing nature of employment.
The rise of covert outsourcing
In a bustling Chicago publishing company, an employee named Remi outsourced her job responsibilities without her employer’s knowledge.
Struggling with the monotony and workload of her role, what began as a helping hand from her boyfriend soon spiraled into a covert operation involving multiple helpers.
“I personally come from a background where I am very anti-corporation,” Remi told the Business Insider.
“I don’t personally see the harm in it — especially because if my company isn’t going to do its best to keep me happy and healthy, and have my best interests in mind, then that falls upon me to ensure that that’s happening for myself.”
This phenomenon spans across various industries. In tech and IT, for instance, the use of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) tools makes it particularly easy for workers to secretly outsource their duties to skilled individuals anywhere in the world.
Kevin, an American living in Southeast Asia, manages to juggle three tech jobs by outsourcing nearly all his responsibilities to local virtual assistants.
The cost-effective strategy not only multiplies his income but also capitalizes on the low cost of living in his area.
Ethical dilemmas and workplace implications
For some, like Remi, what started as a temporary solution led to complications. Mistakes were made, and the quality of work suffered, ultimately affecting her professional relationships and personal ethics.
Moreover, this secretive outsourcing can have broader implications, impacting company trust and integrity.
“If you can’t trust your employee — if they’re dishonest and they’re not telling you the truth about one thing — that could mean that they’re not telling you the truth about other things,” said Amber Clayton, a senior director at the Society for Human Resource Management.
The practice also highlights economic disparities. Ranjan, a software engineer from Bengaluru, noted that most job support comes from countries like India and Pakistan, where “desperate” workers provide cheap labor.
As companies grapple with this trend, some are turning to monitoring software to detect outsourcing fraud.
However, the debate continues on whether this practice is a natural evolution of work or a breach of professional integrity.
