Latest Workplace Trend? Ghosting
The dating world is littered with many ghosting stories, but the phenomenon of suddenly exiting a relationship without any notice has now entered the workplace.
The Washington Post explored this new evolution of ghosting in a recent article, and while there are no concrete figures (yet) on how often people ghost employers, Josh Howarth, the Washington D.C. district president of staffing firm Robert Half, said recruiters with the firm have noticed a “ten to twenty percent increase” in ghosting this past year.
So, why are so many people ghosting employers? Ball State University labor economist Michael Hicks theorized that due to an increase in job opening and the awkwardness of quitting, “Why hassle with a boss and a bunch of out-processing when literally everyone has been hiring?”
Another big reason why people are ghosting employers? Well…it’s the employer.
“Employees leave jobs that suck,” said Melissa and Johnathan Nightingale, authors of How F*cked Up Is Your Management?: An uncomfortable conversation about modern leadership. “Jobs where they’re abused. Jobs where they don’t care about the work. And the less engaged they are, the less need they feel to give their bosses any warning.”
It seems like both professional situation examples call for the ghostee to take a good, long look at themselves to see why such a thing could happen. As someone who has ghosted an individual and has been ghosted, let me make things clear: There’s a reason why the ghostee received radio silence. Once it happens, it’s up to you to figure out why so you can make sure it doesn’t happen again.
Erica Banas is a rock/classic rock blogger that loves the smell of old vinyl in the morning.
