Ghosting is something that has become fairly common in our everyday lives. From friends to lovers, it’s become incredibly common to know someone one day and never hear from them again the next.
Surprisingly, this practice is shining through in new places, like the workplace. Now instead of putting in a two weeks notice, or even dropping an email to say they’ve quit, individuals are ghosting companies they no longer work for. One minute they’re there, next minute they’re not. No explanation; just vanished.
Ghosting in the Workplace
How is this possible you may ask? Thanks to a solid labor market and historically low unemployment rates, candidates and employees have more opportunities to move on. It’s easier to get another job, so employees have the ability to just get up and leave.
Another type of ghosting happens with job candidates. Hiring managers and recruiters are finding that candidates sometimes simply fail to show up for interviews. It happens just as frequently when hiring for managerial positions as it does for entry-level jobs. It gets worse. Sometimes hiring managers are dealing with job candidate that go through the entire interview process and get hired, but simply fail to show up for work on their first day.
How to Avoid It
Employers don’t really have much control when it comes to being ghosted, but there are some things they can do to make employees and candidates less likely to do so:
Respect
When you treat people well, they are more likely to return the favor. This starts with having enough courtesy to contact rejected candidates rather than “ghosting” them. It continues all the way to current employees, fostering engagement and open-door policies that make them feel valued.
Onboarding
First impressions matter. Have a thorough yet succinct onboarding process. You want to excite new employees with a positive atmosphere that enables them to feel comfortable taking those critical first steps on the job.
Loyalty
Create a culture where people want to be loyal to the organization. This means being loyal to employees, too, by providing ample benefits and job advancement opportunities. Empathy and understanding during times of struggle make a big impression also. If you stick by them, they’ll stick by you.
Pay Scale
Pay employees what they are worth when you hire them. Give them a respectable raise at least annually. Provide a salary increase that will make them smile when they are promoted. Do your market research and meet (and ideally surpass!) what the competition is offering talent.
Communication
Regular communication is essential in today’s technologically advanced world, no matter the industry. Always be honest and transparent in those communications to make employees feel a deeper connection to the organization.
