Small businesses report being ghosted by new hires and interview candidates
by CM Staff
More than one-third of small business owners said they've hired people who never showed up or stopped coming into work shortly after starting (36%) and/or had job candidates who stopped responding during the application.
TORONTO — Small businesses across Canada are dealing with a growing trend in the hiring process: being ghosted by job candidates and new hires. More than one-third of small business owners said they’ve hired people who never showed up or stopped coming into work shortly after starting (36%) and/or had job candidates who stopped responding during the application or interview process in the past 12 months (37%), according to a new survey by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB).
“Employers are already having an incredibly hard time filling certain positions. Ghosting is not only a frustrating waste of their time, it’s a big drain on their already limited resources,” said Dan Kelly, President at CFIB. “Job candidates and employees don’t have to take or stay in jobs they don’t like, but they should at least communicate their intentions clearly to their employer instead of leaving them scrambling and wondering.”
Skilled or semi-/unskilled labour shortages continue to limit business growth for 53% and 38% of businesses, respectively, according to the latest CFIB Business Barometer. Over half (52%) of small businesses have yet to return to normal revenue levels and 58% haven’t repaid their pandemic debt, according to CFIB’s Small Business Recovery Dashboard.
Employment Insurance changes should not disincentivize return to work
As the federal government is working on potential reforms to the Employment Insurance (EI) system, CFIB is urging Ottawa to take into consideration the impact of potential EI changes on small businesses.
“We’re hearing from business owners who have experienced ghosting that some candidates prefer to stay on EI for as long as possible and may be applying for or taking jobs just to satisfy the requirements of the program,” added Kelly. “While the vast majority of EI recipients may be looking for work in good faith, any changes the government is considering making to the program should not disincentivize people from accepting or starting jobs, especially with the current labour shortages we’re experiencing.”
