Ghosting
According to new research from people
analytics company Visier, more than three
quarters (76%) of Brits have admitted they’ve
been ghosted by an employer or prospective
employer in the past 18 months, despite over
half (59%) having ghosted themselves.
The study asked 1,000 UK employees who
have looked for work during in the past 18
months about their experiences with ghosting,
using Psychology Today’s definition of the
term as ‘abruptly ending communication with
someone without explanation.
The survey’s findings indicated that ghosting
has become an accepted phenomenon in the
workplace, with 37% of Brits admitting to
ghosting an employer in the last 18 months,
30% ghosting a potential employer and 10%
to both.
Hypocritical Britain
Study results insinuate that employees are
Hypocritical Britain
Study results insinuate that employees are
perpetuating the poor behavior’s they hate
from their prospective employer counterparts
because when it comes to these behavior’s,
job seekers’ willingness to ghost increased
steadily with job level seniority, which, the
study suggests means that the more senior
the worker, the more comfortable they are with
ghosting their current or prospective employer.
According to results, the highest levels
reported that they had ghosted a current or
prospective employer within the last 18
months: C-Suite (95%), mid-level
management (84%), first-level management
(67%), entry-level (48%).
Professional ‘Ghosters’
The research also served as a stark reminder
that ghosting is no new fad. It’s been around
for some time and it’s a trend that is likely to
pertain, especially as an increasingly buoyant
labour market and skills shortages across
almost every industry place more power into
the hands of employees. In fact, some 61% of
job seekers say they feel perfectly comfortable
with ghosting an employer or prospective
employer.
The challenge for employers in the current
candidate-driven market is that the right
position, right salary and good company
culture are not enough. The interview itself
must be a top-notch experience to attract
prospective candidates to a company. A
negative first impression (25%) was cited as
the number one reason job seekers have
ghosted their employer or prospective
employer, followed closely by the job role
being inaccurate (24%) and a lower salary
than expected (24%).
In spite of Brits’ willingness to engage in
ghosting, the survey revealed that an
overwhelming 68% admitted that they are
concerned about the negative impact it may
have on them and their career. It’s clear that a
level of cognitive dissonance is at play.
Despite understanding the potential negative
impacts of doing this, job seekers at all levels
are willing to do it anyway.
So if we can all think on the impact of
employee and employer, a simple email or call
helps if either party has changed their mind on
the position.