Ethical Considerations
Ghosting in the employment decision is on the rise. There are many reasons for it, not the least of which is the decline of respect and responsibility in the workplace. In many cases today, employers do not take the time to correspond with employees about the employment decision. This leaves employees in the dark. They wonder: Will I get a job offer? How long should I wait before making decisions on other offers, if they are forthcoming.
Ghosting by employees raises similar concerns. The employer might wonder: How long should I wait to hear from employees to whom I made job offers before moving on to other employees? Even if the employer tries to contact the employee (ees), it doesn’t mean the employees will respond.
Failing to respond to communications in these cases illustrates a lack of ethical principles. The Rights Theory is instructive here because it requires the decision-maker to act in ways that are consistent with the way they would want others to act (towards them) in similar situations for similar reasons. The decision meets the standard of Universality if the employer acts similarly.
TopResume, the world’s largest resume-writing service, released its 2026 Job Seeker Trends Report on October 21, 2025. Drawing on responses from 2,000 full-time U.S. professionals, the report uncovers how and why ghosting occurs.
The Report points out that “Ghosting — by both employers and candidates — continues to be one of the most demoralizing experiences in the job search,” said Amanda Augustine, TopResume Career Expert and a Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC).”
Over 70% of job seekers say they’ve been ghosted by employers, and nearly half admit they’ve ghosted recruiters in return. Gen Z and Millennials report the highest rates of ghosting on both sides.
I wondered why Gen Z and Millennials reported the highest rates of ghosting. To some extent, I believe it’s a cultural phenomenon. In my opinion, young adults are not exposed to the values that have stood the test of time including honesty, integrity, respect, and responsibility. This applies to ghosting at any stage, from a candidate failing to show up for an interview to an employee who suddenly stops coming to work.
I was amazed to learn from one of my students that even though they accepted a job offer, they decided not to show up for the first day of work. It seems that he received a better job offer and accepted that one. I asked whether he thought he had an ethical obligation to inform the employer that he accepted another offer. It was as is he never thought about it, saying: “I figured that since I wasn’t going to show up on day one, the employer would know I wasn’t accepting the offer any longer.
Having reviewed the study, I have concluded that for Gen Z and Millennials, there is a selfish side in making decisions on offers of employment. These decisions are driven by egoism in all too many cases.
Motivation for Employee Ghosting
Employee ghosting is when an employee or job candidate suddenly stops all communication with a company without any notice, explanation, or resignation. This can happen at any stage of the employment process, from a candidate not showing up for an interview to a current employee disappearing without a word.
Examples of Employee Ghosting
- A job candidate stops responding after initial interviews.
- A new hire accepts a job offer but never shows up for their first day.
- An employee simply stops coming to work and ignores all attempts to contact them.
- A long-term employee leaves without giving any notice or explanation.
Why it Happens
- Better opportunities: The individual may have accepted a better job offer elsewhere.
- Poor communication: The candidate or employee may not have been kept informed about the hiring process by the company.
- Lack of commitment: The individual may feel less of a need to give notice, particularly if they feel undervalued.
Indeed Survey: Employee Ghosting
Indeed, an online job search engine, has conducted multiple surveys with thousands of job seekers and employers about ghosting and how it impacts them. Indeed’s Ghosting in Hiring Report explored the results of two recent surveys: one which focused on insights from 4,516 job seekers and the other which looked at what 4,517 employers had to say about ghosting trends and habits, providing some insight into why this workplace phenomenon ultimately transpires.
According to Indeed’s ghosting survey for job seekers, just over 3 in 5 job seekers in the U.S. (61%) have ghosted anywhere from two to four employers in the past 12 months. Meanwhile, under 2 in 5 Canadian job seekers (37%) ghosted employers, with similar statistics in the U.K. (36% of job seekers). It would be interesting to discover why U.S. employees’ ghost at almost twice the rate of those in Canada and the U.K. Are U.S. employees less ethical, I wonder?
Indeed asked whether job seekers feel remorse about ghosting? According to the survey, 70% of U.S. job seekers feel it’s “fair” to ghost employers. 59% ultimately regret ghosting, while 23% felt empowered when they ghosted an employer. These results raise serious concerns about workplace ethics.
Even more shocking is how many job seekers are ready to ghost again. As of 2023, 62% of job seekers say they plan to ghost during future job searches. This number is up from 56% in 2022 and just 37% in 2019. So, what’s led to the increase?
Indeed Survey: Employer Ghosting
Employer ghosting can happen at any stage of the hiring process, from after an initial interview to after a verbal offer has been extended. Here are some clues that you may have been ghosted by the employer.
- The company says they “will be in touch soon” and then you will never hear from them again.
- You send follow-up emails that go unanswered.
- A recruiter who was very responsive suddenly became irresponsive.
- They say they will contact you with “just a few final details,” but weeks pass with no further communication.
Employer ghosting can be motivated by a shifting priority in the company’s operations so that they turn their attention to employees with different skills. Also, there may be a hiring freeze or other internal change, but the company fails to inform the employee.
What to Do if You’re Ghosted
After a reasonable amount of time (e.g., a couple of weeks), you can send a follow-up email to inquire about the status of your application. Alternatively, you can send an email informing the potential employer that you have received a competitive offer and need to know whether the first employer intends to make an offer. There is nothing wrong in doing this, assuming you have, in fact, received a competitive offer.
I was surprised to find out that many of my students who feel they have been ghosted in the past feel justified in ghosting the employer in future job searches. I always tell them something I learned from my dad at an early age, which is two wrongs do not make a right.
Feel free to contact me for advice if you are considering ghosting an employer or believe an employer is ghosting you.
Blog Posted by Steven Mintz, PhD, Professor Emeritus Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, on October 29, 2025. Find out more about Steve’s activities by visiting his website at: www.stevenmintzethics.com.