Director of operations, director of marketing, lead author, salesperson—these kinds of job titles have typically been the norm at work for years. But when the nature of the job evolves, new, even random, titles appear. What’s the harm?

Job titles have numerous uses. Generally speaking, they are obvious and a sign of the employee’s authority and responsibility. Although job titles may be very firmly established in fields like law and banking, they are changing in many other fields, particularly those involving creativity. These new titles may draw customers’ attention and be used as retention or recruitment strategies. For instance, a position that the company was hiring for was formally listed as “head of marketing and new business.” However, the position’s official title at the creative advertising agency in London is “head of hype and culture.” The task entails developing a new title for the position that places more emphasis on fusing conventional exterior branding and communications with a novel internal workplace culture. In a certain sense, new job titles might contribute to a worker’s sense of value within an organization. Data from a job website shows that “people” is outpacing the conventional term “human resources.” Employers can claim to invest in individuals by doing this. Employees may find them fascinating as well, since they feel powerful in their unique, newly created titles. From the perspective of the recruiter, they can entice candidates by displaying a forward-thinking, even enjoyable culture.

There are drawbacks to take into account, however appealing and alluring the job title may seem. Consistent titles provide clear career ladders, routes, and compensation that support diversity and equity.