What is job ghosting? Understanding its main causes

Nowadays, losing talent is one of the main threats for business performance. Numbers are clear about this issue. In average, about 13% of employees quit their job each year. This is an aspect that you can’t overlook. After all, for Human Resources professionals, employees are the most valuable resource on any organization. 

Is in this gloomy context where we start seeing the concept of job ghosting. This is a phenomenon that is getting increasingly common among candidates and employees. Are you familiar with this problem? At T2W we have an extensive experience in employee management, so we can help you with this issue. We are about to delve into the concept of job ghosting and its main causes. Are you ready? 

¿What is job ghosting? 

Unfortunately, ghosting is very common in today’s professional world. This happens when one of the candidates suddenly leaves the recruitment process and ends all communication. There’s no explanation or possible reasons for that decision, nothing. That would be a case of candidate ghosting and is a real problem for recruiters. However, ghosting not only happens in the recruitment process. 

It can also happen that we have just received a new employee, but during the first days or weeks, the person leaves the organization without any warning or explanation. You just don’t hear of that employee anymore. That would be a case of employee ghosting. The result, as you can imagine, is not just a vacant position that must be filled quickly, but many questions about a possible internal issue that scares talent away. 

Having a candidate or an employee that abruptly ends all communication with the company is not something new. However, this is a problem that we are beginning to see more often, especially after the pandemic and as a result of the great resignation. The younger employees are the most likely to show this behavior. Around 20% of Millennials and Centennials would leave a job after a month or less if it doesn’t meet their expectations. 

Ghosting at work usually happens during a very specific period of the employee lifecycle. This goes from the early stages of recruitment to the first months of work in the company. Once that period is over, the chances of having that problem in the organization reduce significantly. Statistics are very clear in this regard: more than 30% of professionals that enter an organization leave during the first 6 months. Why do they leave and what can be done about it? 

Causes of job ghosting 

While workers ghosting employers might seem to defy any explanation, at least at first glance, there are some factors you can identify to avoid this problem. Let’s take a look at the most common causes behind ghosting in the workplace. 

1. Vague job descriptions 

One of the main reasons why employees suddenly leave a job are vague or inaccurate job descriptions that omit key aspect about the position. New employees enter the organization with a defined ideal of the position and its responsibilities. However, once inside, they find out that there was a lot more that the job ad wasn’t saying. Obviously, that turns people away. 

To avoid that, it’s important to always create clear job descriptions. A good job post transmits a precise idea of all the tasks that position requires. For that reason, you shouldn’t just highlight the benefits of the job, but also the challenges. This way, you will have a better recruitment process and the people who get the job will be actually prepared for the position.  

2. Disregard for employee wellness 

After the pandemic, priorities changed for most of the workforce. Now, personal wellness is a key aspect in the professional life of people, especially the younger ones. As a result, if employees enter an organization and notice it doesn’t value its workers, they will leave in the blink on an eye. 

For this reason, it’s important to create an organizational culture that pays attention to employee wellness. You must promote a healthy balance between professional and personal life as part of your work philosophy. You have to respect the working hours and the digital disconnection; otherwise, you could hurt employee morale. Additionally, you could create wellness programs based on your employees’ needs.  

3. A bad onboarding process 

Another reason that can cause new hire ghosting is a bad onboarding process. Keep in mind that onboarding an employee is not an event you can skip, but a key process for the person to fully integrate into the organization. If there is no such process, the newcomer won’t feel part of the company. That can affect motivation and, in a matter of days, the person could leave the organization abruptly. 

This is why it’s so important that each new employee can integrate to the company and feel part of it since the first day. You have to introduce the newcomers and give them a good welcome. Workers need to know that their arrival is important for the organization. Also, help them to get to know the company, it’s culture and the coworkers. Additionally, you can sign a person who can show the work facilities and resolve any doubts. 

As you can see, job ghosting is an increasingly common problem among organizations. You need to recognize its causes and take the necessary measures to fight it. With a little prevention you will retain you best employees. 

At Talent2Win, we strive to align your company’s business objectives with the best Talent Acquisition strategies available. If you want to learn more about the services we offer, do not hesitate to contact us.