Ghosting isn’t just a social media term; it can also play out in the hiring process and may even impact your payroll. Employers should stay alert to avoid falling into the ghost’s trap. Below is some information to help you secure your Human Resources (HR) and payroll processes against ghosting.

What Is Ghosting?

Ghosting has come full circle. Candidates often complain about a lack of communication from a prospective employer—no acknowledgment of their application, no callback after an interview, and no updates during the hiring decision-making process. Now, some candidates are giving HR professionals the silent treatment instead.

Workplace ghosting can happen at every level, from entry level to management. It is as simple as not responding to initial calls, missing phone or in-person interviews, reviewing an offer, and continuing to say that they’ll get back to you. Some new hires have walked out on the first day or did not even show up. Undoubtedly, the first weeks on the job can be critical for employee retention. According to survey results from staffing agency Robert Half & Associates, more than a quarter of employees quit within 90 days of hire, resulting from a poor onboarding process.

Ghost Employee Payroll Fraud

Ghost employees can financially impact your business in several ways, including affecting your payroll. If the proper checks and balances are not in place, a former worker could continue to receive a paycheck, or even a current employee could set up a fake account in the payroll system. While this is not common, employees have been known to engage in such scams.

Having proper off-boarding procedures that ensure former workers are removed from payroll in a timely manner can help keep your payroll from being affected by ghost employee fraud. Also, confirm if every employee is legitimate and if their pay rate is accurate.

Tips to Avoid Being Ghosted

• At its core, ghosting is a lack of communication. Here are some tips to prevent ghosting:
  
• Follow up with candidates as much as possible to share updates or delays
• Shorten the hiring process and provide a clear timeline for decisions
• Build a personal and transparent relationship with candidates
• Cater onboarding to the individual or role
• Introduce employees to their manager and colleagues on their first day
• Stay connected with employees beyond their first day through one-on-one meetings or a quick email
• Ensure employee development plans include a career growth path, learning opportunities, and ongoing two-way feedback
• Develop detailed off-boarding procedures that ensure former workers are removed from payroll in a timely manner
• Review payroll to confirm if every employee is legitimate and if their pay rate is accurate.

What Should You Do If a Candidate or Employee Ghosts You?

It’s unknown whether ghosting is a trend here to stay in the workplace. Every situation is different, but if a candidate or employee ghosts you, start by adjusting your hiring and onboarding process. By building strong talent communities and engaging new hires early and often, you can better position yourself to reduce the chances of candidates and employees ghosting you.

Are you making costly hiring mistakes? CBIZ has Strategies and Tools for Recruiting and Hiring Best-fit Employees.