Why do women ‘ghost’ some job adverts?

Dr Louise Oldridge, Senior Lecturer in Human Resource Management at Nottingham Business School (NBS), Nottingham Trent University.

Prior to joining NBS, she worked as an HR practitioner for nine years at a number of organisations, which greatly informs her research and teaching.

Dr Maranda Ridgway is Associate Professor of People and Inclusion and Co-Director of Research Impact and NBS. Committed to impacting policy and practice, Maranda’s research is also informed by experience as a senior HR professional.

Over a quarter of UK employers have been ‘ghosted’ by new recruits in the last year, according to research by the CIPD and Omni RMS.

Colloquially used to describe when a person suddenly breaks off contact, the term ‘ghosting’ is increasingly applied in professional contexts to when employees don’t show up to work or applicants skip a job interview with no explanation as to why.

The fact that this behaviour is now relatively common has prompted calls for employers to rethink recruitment and retention strategies. However, this task is especially difficult for recruiters when employees don’t communicate why they are dropping out of work, as is the case with ghosting.

Fortunately, a survey conducted by software and analytics company Visier sheds some light on the subject, revealing the top five reasons why job seekers and new employees ghost their potential or current employers:

1. The salary is too low (according to 29 percent of survey respondents).
2. They received another job offer that was more attractive (28 percent).
3. The job description was inaccurate (27 percent).
4. The company has a poor reputation or negative online reviews (26 percent).
5. They disliked the perceived company culture (22 percent).

In addition to these points, research we conducted with Professor Sharon Mavin (Newcastle Business School) suggests a sixth factor that particularly affects female job applicants: the presence of gendered language in job adverts.

We analysed 158 job adverts to identify the use of gendered language, traits, and behaviours, as well as references to EDI (equality, diversity, and inclusivity) and flexible working practices.

Our findings show that as salary or title seniority increases, so too does the proportion of masculine words in adverts for the role. At the same time, mentions of EDI and flexible working decrease.

This is far from inconsequential. The dominance of masculine language reflecting a ‘getting ahead’ mindset indicates an entrenched patriarchal attitude where women are seen as secondary. Unsurprisingly, this has the potential to deter many female applicants who are perfectly qualified and capable of excelling in the position, limiting the available talent pool for recruiters.

It would also seem that many women choose not to work for organizations that do not value EDI commitments, or demonstrate this through workplace culture.

By extension, a lack of openness to flexible working arrangements can make vacant jobs less attractive to women who may consider applying. This is because women often find it more challenging to establish a work-life balance, as they typically still do most of the housework and are more likely to shoulder additional care responsibilities. For example, the Trades Union Congress reports that women are seven times more likely to be kept out of work than men due to caring commitments.

So, what can companies do to turn things around and boost their appeal to talented female applicants?

We recommend taking three steps:

First, urgent attention must be paid to reducing instances of gender-biased language in job adverts. Recruiters need to appreciate that male, female and gender nonconforming applicants may interact with the language of job adverts slightly differently. Pay attention to nuances. For instance, phrase person specifications so that they are described as behaviours rather than traits, as this can help to increase gender inclusivity.

Second, be bold and feature strong EDI commitments in job adverts. Voice your openness to presenting equal opportunities and accommodating flexible working arrangements. Devote time and attention to ensuring these commitments are substantive and reflected in the organisation’s culture.

Third, job adverts should state salaries explicitly. Research has shown that when no explicit salary is stated, women often end up accepting lower wages when they take the job on. Because of this, many women view it as a green flag when job adverts explicitly state the salary on offer for a position, and will be more likely to apply as a result.

Following these three steps should enable companies to boost their attractiveness to female talent, casting their nets farther and wider in recruitment processes. Ensuring that adverts are authentic and backed up by company culture likewise will help with retention. In combination, this should mean companies are able to minimise the risk of being ghosted by employees or job applicants.