It’s common to hear stories about job candidates going through several rounds of interviews, only to not hear back from the hiring manager. But what about new hires ‘ghosting’ employers?
The term ghosting has become popularized by social media and online dating apps and refers to abruptly cutting off contact with someone without an explanation. But in recent years, the term has also gained currency in a professional context, through scenarios in which a newly-hired employee becomes unreachable or doesn’t turn up for their first day.
To land his current job in DevOps, Adam (not his real name) applied for more than 50 positions, seven of which led to an interview and two to an offer. One was with a startup, the other a blue chip company. He initially accepted both but ultimately chose the latter as it was offering better job security and a more generous benefits package. But he didn’t let the former know his decision – he just ignored the contract that was sent through for him to sign as well as follow-up calls.
“I had accepted both because I wanted to keep my options open and have a backup should the other fall through,” explains Adam. “In hindsight, maybe I should have informed them, but I assumed they had an alternative candidate lined up anyway.”
His story is nothing new. A survey of more than 1,000 HR and senior management professionals, conducted by the Chartered Institute of Professional Development, found that 27% of companies actively recruiting in the past 12 months had hires fail to turn up on their first day. And, even if they do walk through the door, 41% of those surveyed for the institute’s Resourcing and Talent Planning Report 2024 have seen new employees leave within their first 12 weeks.
Why new hires are
Cases of ghosting are on the rise because of “labor shortages and a competitive job market shifting the balance of power towards candidates,” says Sarah Stevens, co-founder and director of hoomph, an HR consultancy, that specializes in providing fractional HR services to technology, gaming and creative clients. “Today’s job market makes it easier for job seekers to leave employers in the dark.”
This behavior has been exacerbated by the switch to fully online recruitment processes and virtual interviews during the pandemic. The lack of face-to-face interaction made it difficult for job candidates to build rapport with potential employers, increasing the risk of disengagement and giving them an excuse to drop off without giving an explanation, adds Stevens.
Although some firms have returned to face-to-face interviews, habits picked up during lockdown have been difficult to shake off. While those doing the ghosting may think that employers will simply forget about them and move on, it can have consequences for those hiring.
More than a third (38%) of employers surveyed by Indeed said the time they have invested in a job candidate who ghosted them could have been used more productively. The survey took in responses from 4,517 employers in the UK, US, and Canada, of whom 30% said hiring teams have suffered from stress due to the added work resulting from being ghosted.
A separate survey, of 4,516 jobseekers, found that while around 2 in 5 UK and Canadian applicants (36% and 37% respectively) these numbers are far higher in the US – where 61% of jobseekers ghosted two to four hiring teams over a 12 month period.
How can businesses exorcise ghosting?
In order to reduce the likelihood of new hires ghosting them, firms need to understand what exactly is driving them to just disappear without a word.
Indeed’s employee survey found that the company or role not being the right fit was the top reason for applicants going silent. While only 23% cited poor communication with recruiters as a reason, 54% of US employers admitted that communication and transparency on their end could be improved.
The recruitment process needs to be as smooth as possible, says Lucy Cobb, employment law specialist and advice operations manager at BrightHR. The period between making a job offer and the candidate’s actual start date can be lengthy, so if lines of communication aren’t kept open during this period new hires can quickly become disengaged.
“You need to regularly touch base with the new hire, providing them with detailed information about what to expect on their first day,” Cobb explains. “This not only helps to ease any pre-start jitters they may have but also shows that you value their upcoming contribution.”
If employers are successful in preventing new hires from ghosting them before their first day, they then need to consider the risk that they could take flight just weeks into the role. They need to feel welcomed and valued from day one.
“There needs to be a well-thought-out induction plan in place,” adds Cobb. “You need to let the employee know that their arrival is anticipated and that their first few weeks are going to be structured with plenty of support.”
Stevens agrees with this. Creating a good first impression doesn’t guarantee that new hires won’t get spooked, she says, but a structured induction process, starting the moment an offer is accepted, should help them to be more committed.
