Buyer’s market resulting in ‘professional ghosting’

Latest data shows that more than one in ten office workers have admitted to ‘professional ghosting’ when applying for a job over the last year.

‘Professional ghosting’ – which refers to a potential employee avoiding communication with a company during the application process – has been found to be more common among younger workers, with a quarter of under 35-year-olds admitting to the practice, compared to just five per cent of those ages over 45.

The research, compiled by Robert Half UK, shows that 31% of employees said they would decline a job offer that did not include flexible working hours, with the average employee prepared to take a three per cent pay cut in order to have the option to work outside ‘normal’ office hours.

Fourteen per cent of workers would reject a job offer if a bonus wasn’t included as part of the proposal and 12% would do the same if they were not given the choice of working from home at least once a week.

Matt Weston, Managing Director at Robert Half UK, commented on the findings, “We are currently in a buyer’s market and business leaders are having to review their employee attraction strategies in order to secure the best talent. Where the recruitment process was once entirely driven by the employer’s timetable, the war for talent is seeing a powershift towards in-demand talent which is feeding the growing trends of professional ghosting.

“As our 2020 Salary Guide has highlighted, skilled professionals today are looking for a comprehensive remuneration package, including benefits alongside a competitive salary. Flexible working is increasingly popular with many candidates refusing to accept a job offer which does not include this in some form. Aside from employee benefits, employers looking to attract and retain top talent should prioritise developing a clear employer brand. In-demand professionals increasingly want to work for companies with a strong identity and a well-defined culture and ethos, making it another key factor in improved employee retention.”

To find out more about contracting please contact Jaime on 01442 795 100 or email jaime.thorpe@dolanaccountancy.com