Ghosting in the Workplace: Meaning and Reasons

What is Ghosting?

Ghosting is a term which is used to describe a condition where a person ends all ways of communication without giving any kind of warning or explanation and also ignores the attempts to communicate by other persons. Workplace Ghosting generally happens when someone at work, which may include a colleague or job applicant, suddenly goes silent without providing notice and leaves everyone puzzled. Sometimes, they want to leave the job without saying a word or giving any information. Ghosting in the workplace can have a serious impact on the overall work environment and productivity.

Why does Ghosting Take Place?

1. Dissatisfaction or Disengagement: Some people may do ghosting because they might not be satisfied with their work. They might feel bored, unappreciated, underpaid, overworked, or unfulfilled. They may not have good relationships with their colleagues or bosses. It may happen that their manager is not happy with their work. They might have lost interest in their work and want to try something other than that.

2. Communication issues: Poor communication may promote ghosting in the organisation. Bad communication between employees and managers or colleagues can give rise to conflict between team members. Also, some individuals may feel unheard or ignored because of this. They may feel that their decision does not matter. And some others may want to avoid these conflicts caused by poor communication. They find it very difficult to stay in a workplace where there is no respect and no good way of discussion between members. Rather, they like to work in a place where communication is respectful for everyone and professional. So, they may choose to ghost instead of engaging in potentially uncomfortable conversations.

3. Burnout: In some organisations, the workload is very high, so employees might feel stressed, and their work-life balance gets disturbed. They might not get time for their family or personal things. After some days of working, because of physical and mental fatigue, they may feel they have reached a breaking point. In such cases, individuals may opt for a silent departure, seeking relief from the pressures that have led to their state of burnout.

4. Personal Issues: Personal issues of employees, like health issues, family issues, insecurity issues, and financial issues may lead them to ghosting. Because, to solve personal issues they may need free time alone or with their family to solve them. The job may increase their issues because they have to follow some responsibilities of the job along with their issues. Also, they might not want to disclose or explain their issues to someone and choose ghosting as a better option.

5. Remote Work Challenges: It happens in many jobs where employees have been transferred to different areas, which they find difficult to travel. Also, in some areas, it is difficult for them to work, and it causes disconnection between colleagues and other people. So, some employees may choose to ghost to escape from these jobs.

6. Better Opportunities: Employees might have found better opportunities than their current job. They may be offered a job. They may be offered a job with a better salary, benefits, or more promising to have a better career. People will then choose to work on the job with better opportunities because they believe that, it will improve their overall lives. They may be afraid to tell about their resignation respectfully and professionally. So, they decide ghosting as an easy option.

How to Minimise Ghosting in the Workplace?

1. Feedback Mechanism: Feedback mechanisms can be very important for preventing ghosting. It means both employees and employers can share their opinions anonymously through surveys and suggestion boxes, which could be read regularly. This will help those who don’t know ways to express their thoughts professionally and respectfully. People who don’t want to tell things due to the rise of conflicts can also tell their opinions in this way. Also, people who feel unheard or ignored can present their thoughts this way. This will solve many communication-related issues.

2. Leadership Training: Leadership Training involves teaching managers and employees about many things, which will help in reducing ghosting in an organisation. In leadership training, they are given training about conflict resolution, conflicts of everyone should be addressed constructively. They should be taught proper ways of respecting everyone and giving proper recognition and appreciation for their work. Leaders should know how to build a sense of trust with the team. Leaders need to understand their problems. In this way, leadership training will reduce disengagement and problems of employees, also it will build trust in the organisation so they will not perform any disrespectful thing, like ghosting.

3. Well-Defined Policies: Well-defined policies will help in providing the right path for employees, clarity, and avoiding misunderstandings. Information about well-defined policies regarding employment terms, leave, and communication should be provided to employees. Keeping the procedure of leaves and resignation simple and easy to implement. Many people ghost. They think it will be difficult for them to get leave or resign because they don’t know the proper ways and communication required for this purpose. So if they know about these, then they are less likely to use ghosting for leave and resignation. They should also be informed of the problems which are caused due to their ghosting.

4. Create a Positive Work Environment: Employees are less likely to ghost in a place where they feel safe, supported, and satisfied. Establish a positive work culture where people enjoy working with and for you. A positive work culture could be made by providing meaningful work, fair compensation for work, and growth opportunities. Everyone in a positive workplace should be listened to, respected, and valued. Show them appreciation for work and care. In this way, they will not likely disturb the work culture by ghosting and providing proper information and notice if they want to, due to some reason.

Conclusion

Understanding and preventing the phenomenon of ghosting is essential for the healthy working of any organisation. If its root cause is not considered, there are chances that the company will lose good talent, they might face problems in future planning, hiring costs will increase, etc. For reducing ghosting rates transparency, mutual respect, and proper work culture are required because these things help in solving most of the problems for employees.