Career development is supposed to be an empowering journey. Yet, for a vast number of U.S. workers, it feels like a lie. A new survey from MyPerfectResume reveals a phenomenon called “Ghost Growth”: the illusion of career advancement that comes without any raise, promotion, or real change in authority.
The findings paint a stark picture for HR leaders: employees are being rewarded for strong performance with nothing more than more work and an inflated title, leading to broken trust and rising burnout.
The Cost of “Growth Theater”
The data confirms that this superficial approach is widely recognized by employees:
- 65% of workers report experiencing Ghost Growth—advancement in name only.
- 66% believe their employer engages in “Growth Theater”—performing support without delivering real outcomes.
- 53% say their career looks like it’s progressing, but it doesn’t feel like it.
This performative development is not fooling anyone. When nearly half of your workforce (49%) feels they’ve plateaued, masking it with superficial opportunities is a direct path to turnover.
Actionable Insight: Deliver Concrete Outcomes
Workers are clear about what meaningful progress looks like, and the solutions are tangible. HR must shift the focus from checking boxes to delivering measurable value. Here are 4 things your employees want:
1. 27% Want Higher Pay
HR’s actionable insight: Review Compensation. Ensure increased responsibility is immediately met with a corresponding salary adjustment, not just a promise.
2. 18% Want Better Work-Life Balance
HR’s Actionable Insight: Define Boundaries. Genuine growth can be vertical, horizontal, or in the form of sustainable workload design.
3. 16% Want Leadership Roles/Clear Path
HR’s Actionable Insight: Map the Trajectory: Implement transparent, measurable promotion paths, so employees know exactly what is required for the next level.
4. 15% Want to Build New Skills
HR’s actionable insight: Invest in Training: Tie development initiatives directly to future roles and strategic business needs, rather than general learning modules.
Eroding Trust, Losing Talent
Superficial growth might look good on paper, but it actually alienates employees. When 65% of your workforce sees development as “window dressing,” trust is destroyed, and engagement plummets.
If organizations want to retain their best people and curb rising burnout, HR leaders must champion structural change. Stop prioritizing the performance of support, and start delivering tangible, measurable advancement in compensation, career trajectory, and respect.