Our First Ghosting Employee!

[DinaLRosenberg]

Just need to vent. Had our first employee ghost us and it feels like a bad break up! Seriously you guys, I'm not OK!

We currently have eight employees and most of them have been with us for between 2-3 years. We have GREAT longevity and (we think) we treat our employees well.

As is the nature of retail, we don't expect people to stay forever, especially those that are young (this employee is 19). We extend as much grace as possible wherever we can.

But our employee ghosted us.. literally didn't show up to. her shifts, didn't answer ours or her co-workers texts....

We fired her via text...

UGH just an awful feeling..

[maxpete]

@DinaLRosenberg ugh, I'm so sorry to hear this! I can imagine how frustrating it must be. Have you seem this employee post on their socials or any other place online?

Btw, your employee tenure is great and something you should be proud of. Not a super common thing in retail!

[EcoAutoClean]

Hate that it happened! Seems to happen more and more.  It's an incredibly tough balance. I feel I pour into my team but I've also never worked for a small entrepreneur based company before so I don't really have much to compare it too. Great job on the others being there as long as they have!! Keep on pushing.

[Candlestore]

@DinaLRosenberg ;

More people are doing this because BIG companies will fire you today but want 2 weeks notice.  There are videos all over of people recommending employees to do this for a better position.  Problem is the grass is not always greenier on the other side, and if it is it is usually because it is full of manure.  Just be glad that this person was not with you for decades then ghosted you.  

I had one employee did that, my wife kept texting trying to see what happened, after Day 3 I said he silentlt quit leave it alone.  It bothered her more than me, and this employee was helping me more than her.

[isabelle]

Did they ever respond to the firing text? I'm shook.

So sorry this happened @DinaLRosenberg - people make themselves so available these days that when they ghost it's genuinely like "what the hell just happened"? 

[DinaLRosenberg]

Nothing

radio silence

best is their sister works for my husband’s company! Just wild!

[SSB_YVR]

WHAT!!! That is absolutely WILD!

[Lovewell]

This one is wild. 

No comment other than that. The best is yet to come! 

[Donnie-M · Accepted solution]

@DinaLRosenberg Let me give you some advice, and maybe I read into your post too much.  When an employee goes "ghost protocol" you never "fire" them, just do a separation notice, or whatever your state requires as a "voluntary quit" or "no call/no show Job Abandonment".  That way it is much much much simpler in the event of an unemployment claim.  Yes you can "fire" someone for not showing up, but that is breaking the rules and you have to prove it, etc.  This is just my experience over the past 20 years as the best way to do it.

That said, I have had a few over the years.  2 weeks ago was my first in a while.  Same as you, until payday,  when I cut a paper check for the people that quit no notice.  I like to make sure they are ok and maybe I am a little petty...but I want them to have to do something...if they at least say, "Hey, I hate you and I hope the next time we meet your walking and I am driving."  I wish them well and don't do anything.

It is a cultural thing now with younger generations, and sometimes for good reasons, but common courtesy is not so common.

[DinaLRosenberg]

no response

nothing

nothing from the you never came in today what is going on..

Nothing from the hey this is your second day you didn’t come in and haven’t contacted us.. 

just nothing. 
keep in mind this person didn’t have a car so my other employees would pick them up- friendships developed. Didn’t tell them either. 
just awful. 

[Donnie-M]

I had one one time, lady was a little bit older, great worker, felt dependable, then one day...boom nothing.  So I looked up her address and really was worried about her in a real way.  I drove by and her car was there, so I knocked on the door and she was fine.  She said she just decided not to come in.  The previous day one of the other workers was on the line and was working and she asked what she could do, and they said we don't need you we are good. 

well she thought they meant they didn't need her at all..ever...in the store...so she said it hurt her feelings.

I was glad she was ok, but I also won't try too hard to find someone anymore.  I don't want to be that disappointed.

[VistanciaRides]

What?! She felt unwanted...and just didn't come back...wow. A real go getter that one. Although I do feel for her possibly being an introvert and it's hard for those to speak up and push through negative feelings. They are hiders and followers. And we need those people. Not everyone can lead. But that's crazy!

[David422]

Donnie-M

I really enjoyed your response! Thanks for your values! I hope you’ll check our product line sometime when I get to  update my site ! (Things can be fixed!)

David Bannerman

BioCored-Unifier

“Fitness is Therapy”

[Twpchair]

It's extremely frustrating! They say that so many people are looking for work, and businesses aren't hiring. I get a lot of ghosting, and 3/4 aren't really looking for work. In my state for unemployment, you have to physically go out and put an application for it to continue. But the catch here is if you quit for a justified reason. Rather, it's good or bad. Your benefits still keep going on and on. 

[jjsmeatshak1]

We have become so used to it since the start of the pandemic it only got worse. We are actually transitioning after 13 successful years of business to just catering and closing our brick and mortar due to these employee issues and rising food costs.  It’s so heart breaking anymore. 

[VistanciaRides]

That's heartbreaking! But I hear you! My family of 6 went from 1000-1200/month food budget (which I already thought was high) to 2400 almost overnight (pandemic). I now pay more for food than to live in a home worth 500k! What?! 
I can't imagine being a restaurant buying food! The meat the produce it's just so high! Thank god for farmers markets and sales, but otherwise, what a pain!

[LukeNieuw]

I feel your pain!

We had our entire Kitchen Team (4 people) "Call in Sick" and then ghost for 4 days. It was our Head Chefs team and he wasn't responding to messages, calls, emails or texts but we could see he was reading our Facebook messages so we had to Fire him and the team through FB Messenger! A first for us 😳

Fun times! but the place is much better since they're gone 😜

[Stacelyn24]

Vent away!!!  You don't need that level of toxicity to be in your environment.  So sorry this happened to you but with the work ethics of many today (young and old) they believe they are entitled.  We just had a nail technician who was mad that she was going to have to due a pedicure that day...leave and tell everyone she was going to take a break in her car...only not to show back up.  Wouldn't respond to calls or texts.  Her client was sitting there in the pedicure chair waiting.  I was taking my car to the service dealership because it was running rough...only to have to take a uber to the salon...do the pedicure (upgraded her to a gel polish pedicure) and then compensated her for the wait time (she did get her nails done as well).  Had to fire her through email/text.  Unbelievable...what's in the water?!?!?!

[Donnie-M]

Crazy 

Crazy

Crazy

I have had the midshift mirage as we call it.  We thought we saw an employee here...guess not!

I have only ever had a couple of those, and even more rare to have someone just quit at the end of the day.  But the mid shift...that is the worst one, and if you don't see it coming, then I think I have done something wrong and missed an obvious sign.

[JUYBoutique20]

I'm so sorry you're having to deal with this.  Here in Alaska everywhere is hiring but during the summer no one wants to work.  I've had people ask me am I hiring for the winter season in July....

[VistanciaRides]

So no one wants to work in summer because of weather? Or lack of customers? Therefore lack of paying work?