New data reveals nearly half of candidate ghosting occurs before a new hire's first day at work
Employers are being advised to strengthen engagement during the preboarding process as new data reveals a surge in employees ghosting organisations after receiving a job offer.
The preboarding stage refers to the period between a candidate accepting an employment offer and their official first day, where primary goals include managing administrative paper work and providing logistical clarity to new hires.
But new research from Click Boarding shows that 45% of candidates who ghost their employers did so during this stage, with a likely cause being disengagement from the workplace.
According to the findings, 61% of new hires wait at least two to three weeks to start their new job, with 29% waiting for more than a month.
The report noted that when candidates don't hear from the company during this period, they begin wondering whether an employer is organised, excited, or even prepared for their arrival.
This also weakens employees' emotional commitment to the role, making them more open to other recruiters and competing opportunities.
"Poor engagement in this window leaves a company more open to ghosting or having a candidate take a competing offer," Adam Wachtel, Click Boarding' Chief Technology Officer.
"It also sets a precedent for the rest of the employment as this is the only impression a candidate has about your company and what it's like to work there."
What should a proper preboarding phase look like?
The preboarding stage in recruitment should transform an individual from a candidate who accepted a job offer to someone who already feels part of the organisation, according to Click Boarding.
To improve engagement in this stage, it recommended the following steps:
- First phase: Focus on reassurance, excitement, and next steps after a candidate accepts a job offer.
- Second phase: Help the employee complete onboarding tasks, understand expectations, and feel prepared.
- Third phase: Improve human connection by introducing the new hire to managers, teammates, company culture, and what the first week at work will be like.
Danielle Balow, Click Boarding's Vice President of Customer Transformation, stressed the importance of ensuring that a new hire feels important and keeping them interested.
"A lot of employers think that good enough is good enough. It isn't, and this is when it creates friction for both the employer and potential employees," Balow said.
The cost of being ghosted
Being ghosted by job candidates can have financial consequences in organisations that invested time and resources to hiring, according to the report.
When candidates ghost during the preboarding stage, an employer spends 75 to 90% of its full cost-per-hire, including full investment from internal teams and agency fees.
"The cost of turnover is very much quantifiable and there is a correlation between high turnover and a disjointed onboarding process. This can be felt even more in industries such as healthcare or retail, which are so revenue-driven," Wachtel said.
