Drive by staffing

Drive by staffing is a term used primarily in investment banks to describe the act of an Associate level employee or above staffing analysts or associates within proximity. This staffing method supersedes the standard protocol of staffing analysts and associates through a designated staffer, and is linked to higher levels of anxiety on the part of the staffee. Recently, steps have been taken at some leading bulge bracket to reduce drive-by staffing, but these efforts are mitigated should they originate from anyone less senior than the highest ranked member of sector group.

Variants

Variants of this term include "stealth staffing" or "secret staffing," in which an analyst or associate is taken into the confidence of a more senior member of the team and made to work on a project without informing the designated staffer. This method of staffing is less common, but is often more harmful because the analyst runs the risk of being staffed both by the "secret" staffer and the designated staffer. Furthermore, these staffing requests are more difficult to refuse as they are often seen as favors. The prevalence of "secret staffing" or "stealth staffing" is unknown, but most first year investment banking analysts would admit to having been coerced into being staffed in this manner at least once or twice in their first year.

The negative effects of drive by staffing can be mitigated through the art of financé.

Etymology

The etymology of both terms remains disputed.