Ghosting didn’t start in the workplace, but it’s certainly made itself at home there.
What used to be a dating term has crept into how we do business. It shows up in job applications, project proposals, client emails, vendor requests, collaborative efforts, and even internal team dynamics.
If you’ve ever sent a thoughtful message and been met with silence, no reply, no ‘thanks,’ or no closure, you know the sting.
And if it’s happening to you, chances are it’s happening through you too, often without realizing it.
What ghosting looks like at work
Ghosting isn’t just about not replying right away. It happens when a real connection is made, whether through a meeting, conversation, submission, request, and then the trail goes cold. Common examples include:
A client asks for a detailed proposal and then disappears
A hiring manager conducts three rounds of interviews, then vanishes
A partner seems excited about collaborating, but never circles back
A colleague asks for feedback or support, then drops off the radar
An RFP is submitted with care and detail, and the silence is never broken
It’s not always intentional, but it’s always felt.
Why is ghosting becoming so common?
Ghosting has become the default for many professionals, not because people are rude or indifferent, but because our systems often fail to support clarity. We’re busy, overcommitted, and surrounded by communication tools that make ignoring easy.
A few common drivers:
Message volume — Inboxes are overwhelming, and defaulting to silence can feel like self-preservation
Avoidance — Declining, disappointing, or confronting discomfort can be hard, especially when conflict avoidance is the norm
Process gaps — Many teams don’t have clear expectations or ownership for closing loops
Power dynamics — Especially in hiring or leadership settings, there’s often a sense that the person with more perceived authority doesn’t need to reply
One of the quieter reasons ghosting persists? Many people have never been taught how to say “no” kindly or how to close conversations in a way that’s clear and human. So they default to silence, hoping time will do the hard part for them.
In the meantime, the emotional weight is passed to the person left wondering. Ghosting doesn’t just create confusion; it passes the emotional discomfort to the other person, outsourcing the hard part of communication.
Silence sends a message, whether we mean it to or not
When ghosting happens, it communicates something, even if that wasn’t the intention.
“You’re not worth a response.”
“Your time doesn’t matter.”
“I don’t know how to say no, so I’ll say nothing.”
While many of us care deeply about relationships, boundaries, and clarity, the habits we’ve absorbed from digital culture and workplace busyness often tell a different story.
As one 2023 study found, more than 80 percent of hiring managers admit to ghosting candidates during the hiring process. Mentions of ghosting in candidate reviews on Glassdoor have more than doubled since 2020.
But this isn’t just about hiring. It’s about how we build or erode trust at every stage of the work we do.
Ghosting inside your team? It happens more than you think.
We tend to think of ghosting as an external behaviour, something that happens to vendors, applicants, or clients. But it shows up internally, too.
It shows up when:
Projects are delayed, and no one communicates a new timeline
Someone asks for input or feedback, receives it, then disappears
Decisions are made behind closed doors without informing others who were involved
Colleagues are left waiting for answers that never come
In those moments, silence isn’t neutral. It shapes culture. It signals what is acceptable and what is not expected or valued.
There’s a better way to close the loop
You don’t need a polished script or a perfect process to respond. You just need to choose clarity over comfort.
It can be as simple as:
“Thanks for your proposal. We’re going in another direction.”
“We’re holding off for now, but we really appreciate the time you spent on this.”
“Not a fit at this time, but wishing you the best with your work.”
These short replies hold more integrity than silence ever will. They don’t burn bridges. They build respect.
If you lead, you model the norm
If you manage people, hire teams, run a business, or coordinate projects, the way you communicate when something is not moving forward matters just as much as when it is.
You don’t have to be perfect. But you do need to be intentional.
Build in response timelines. Assign closure responsibilities. Use email templates if it helps. Make it safe for people to say no without guilt.
Because what we normalize, we multiply.
And silence, while easy, isn’t the legacy most of us want to leave behind.
Have you ever been ghosted in a way that changed how you lead or communicate? What helped you break the silence?
