Ghosting

The word 'ghosting' was just recently used to describe persons who vanish without cause or explanation. However, there is nothing enigmatic about it. For a variety of reasons, people ghost, although apathy (or loss of interest) is a common cause. Work ghosting is the practice of an applicant or employee expressing initial interest in a role, but not pursuing it further (even after being hired).

Sometimes a candidate will go through the full hiring process, start working for a few days, and then leave. Thus, employee ghosting can occur before to, during, or following the employment process. Regretfully, this is becoming more and more common.

What is Ghosting in the Workplace?

The act of quickly and without warning ending a relationship by severing all communication with a partner is referred to as 'ghosting'. The impolite custom of 'ghosting' has spread from romantic settings into professional settings.

Ghosting in the dating world and the office are comparable. In essence, by remaining silent, applicants or workers avoid having potentially awkward talks with recruiters or their employers

Types Of Ghosting In the Workplace

• Non-response
  You get a message or request that says something needs to be replied to. And you remain silent. This usually occurs when you are unable to answer positively but still don't want to say maybe or no. Or perhaps you simply aren't sure how to react yet.
• Withholding
  your opinions This might occur when you disagree with someone or don't like what they did. It can also occur when you wish to pose a potentially provocative inquiry. Though you don't want to come out as aggressive, start a fight, or injure someone, you still want to say something. Thus, you remain silent throughout.
• Deflection (the “yes-no”)
  Someone says something or makes a request that you disagree with. You have the want to express yourself. You sidestep the question by not providing a direct response in order to avoid disappointing the other person, causing friction, or creating embarrassment.
• Indecisiveness
  You don't want to be in charge of making decisions or take part in them, mainly because you want to attempt to please everyone, you don't want to deal with the fallout if it doesn't work out, or you might anger some people. You thus look for ways to postpone or opt out.
• Lying or Misleading someone
  This occurs when you tell someone what you think to be a small untruth or mislead them by omitting important information. Maybe you choose to grant a request even though you don't mean to. After that, you decide not to. Or you do it with bitterness if you do. When you are driven to avoid conflict, you behave in a passive manner like this.

What Are The Reasons For Ghosting?

Ghosting candidates is becoming more common, but why? Some people think it has to do with how impersonal the hiring process has become. These days, a lot of recruiters use internet job sites and social media to screen candidates.

The issue with this is that it makes it hard to develop a friendly relationship. Since everyone is huddled up behind screens, it's simpler to skip an interview or your first day of work without feeling guilty.

The fact that workers are in charge is another. Comparable to a seller's market in real estate, buyers are less anxious and are prepared to wait for better prospects.

The employment sector operates in the same way. Workers have power in the labor market. Therefore, if individuals believe something better might come along, they are less likely to seize a chance. Employers are dealing with candidate ghosting even in the midst of the pandemic. Not for the same reasons, though. This time around, candidates are motivated to work but are compelled to forfeit the chance to take care of personal needs (such as childcare or health).

However, as previously mentioned, the motivations behind employee ghosting differ depending on the person and their situation. Knowing the reason behind it can help you avoid being ghosted.

The following are some major reasons that employees and candidates ghost each other:

• Taking a second job offer
• Staying out of conflict
• Searching for a more advantageous situation
• Feeling devalued or disrespected (the pay offer)
• Forgetting the procedure's next step
• Disappointed in the working environment, hours, benefits, etc.
• Not thinking there is space for improvement
• They feel insecure because of the high employee turnover rates at work.
• Getting out of a hazardous workplace

This isn't a comprehensive list of explanations for employee ghosting. On the other hand, this can help you spot possible problems in your hiring process or place of employment. While some ghosting situations cannot be avoided, some can.