Imagine spending weeks interviewing candidates, reviewing CVs and finally finding the perfect person for the role. They've accepted the offer, you've started preparing their onboarding and the team is excited to meet them.

Then their start date arrives.

No email. No phone call. No new employee.

It's the workplace equivalent of being stood up on a first date, except this time there's an empty desk, a disrupted recruitment schedule and potentially thousands of pounds in wasted resources.

The campaign figures suggest that 27% of UK workers have accepted a job offer while still actively pursuing other opportunities, while 19% admit they've verbally committed to a role despite knowing they were unlikely to take it.

For employers, this creates an increasingly unpredictable hiring landscape where even an accepted offer doesn't guarantee a new starter.

And the generational divide is difficult to ignore.

While every generation has experienced second thoughts about a job, younger workers appear significantly more comfortable with disappearing from the recruitment process altogether.

The campaign explores whether UK office workers have ever accepted a job offer and subsequently failed to inform the employer that they wouldn't be joining.

Almost 5× the Baby Boomer rate

So what's actually driving career catfishing?

While it might be tempting to put the behaviour down to poor communication skills, the campaign figures point towards more practical motivations behind the disappearing act.

Among respondents who admitted to ghosting an employer after accepting a job offer, the most commonly reported reasons were:

Of course, ghosting isn't a one-way street.

For years, jobseekers have shared stories of attending multiple interviews, completing lengthy application tasks and waiting weeks for feedback that never arrives.

And the campaign figures suggest those experiences may be influencing how candidates behave in return.

61% of UK office workers say they've been ghosted by an employer during a recruitment process, while 39% believe employers and candidates should be held to the same standards of communication.

Among Gen Z respondents, 44% agree that disappearing from a recruitment process is understandable if an employer has previously treated them poorly.

That doesn't necessarily make ghosting acceptable, but it does suggest that candidates' experiences with recruiters may be shaping their expectations of professional courtesy.

For employers, the message is clear: recruitment is no longer simply about deciding whether someone is right for the business. It's also about convincing candidates that the business is right for them.

And that impression starts long before their first day.

Career catfishing might sound like another quirky workplace trend, but for businesses, the consequences can be surprisingly serious.

When a candidate disappears after accepting an offer, employers may need to restart the recruitment process, redistribute work among existing employees or delay important projects.

For smaller businesses in particular, losing a new starter at the last minute can create significant operational pressure.

And it's not just the immediate disruption that matters.

A poor recruitment experience can also affect morale, particularly when existing employees have spent time preparing to welcome a new colleague.

The campaign figures highlight how fragile the period between accepting an offer and starting a role can be, with 48% of respondents saying they've reconsidered an accepted job offer during their notice period, while 32% admit they continued checking job adverts after accepting a new position.

For businesses, this means the recruitment process shouldn't end when a candidate says yes.

The weeks between offer acceptance and the first day could be some of the most important in securing a successful hire.

The team at instantprint highlights the importance of maintaining strong communication throughout the recruitment journey, particularly during the period between a candidate accepting an offer and joining the business.

Accepting a job offer should be an exciting moment for both the candidate and the employer, but that doesn't mean the relationship should be put on hold until the first day.

Candidates are often making significant decisions about their careers, finances and work-life balance. Employers who continue building trust, communicating expectations and making new starters feel welcome can help reduce uncertainty during this period.

While disappearing without an explanation can be frustrating for hiring teams, businesses should also consider whether their recruitment experience is giving candidates the confidence to follow through on their decision.

To help businesses avoid being left with an empty desk, instantprint shares five practical ways to keep new hires engaged.

Career catfishing reflects a wider shift in how people approach employment.

For younger workers in particular, a job offer doesn't always represent the finish line. It can be one stage in a longer decision-making process, with salary, flexibility and workplace culture all competing for attention.

But while candidates have every right to reconsider a role, disappearing without an explanation can damage professional relationships and create unnecessary disruption.

The same principle applies to employers who leave applicants waiting indefinitely for feedback.

Ultimately, the solution isn't about forcing candidates to commit earlier or expecting businesses to tolerate poor communication.

It's about creating a recruitment experience built on honesty, transparency and mutual respect.

From clear job descriptions and regular updates to thoughtful welcome materials and engaging onboarding, every interaction offers an opportunity to strengthen the relationship between employer and employee. Even something as simple as a team welcome coffee with personalised mugs can help make a first day feel more inviting.

Because when a third of Gen Z workers are prepared to ghost after accepting an offer, getting someone to say yes is only half the battle.

Making sure they actually turn up? That's where the real work begins.