Everyone knows politicians lie, but did you know hiring managers lie as well?
Transparency is critical in a tight labor market, but many hiring managers say they often bend the truth.
A new survey of 1,000 managers and business leaders by ResumeBuilder.com found that 36% of hiring managers say they lie to candidates during the hiring process.
Of that group, 75% said they lie during the interview, 52% reported they lie in the job description and 24% said they lie in the offer letter.
Some say they lie more frequently than others. In fact, 6% say they lie all the time, while 24% say they do most of the time. On the other hand, 45% say they lie only some of the time, and 25% say they don’t lie often.
The vast majority (80%) of hiring managers say lying is ‘very acceptable’ (14%) or ‘somewhat acceptable’ (66%) at their company.
Are you still with me here?
These same companies then wonder why people are leaving their company in droves and why many don’t bother to give their employer the courtesy of two weeks’ notice.
Let Me Be Clear Here. A Lie is a Lie.
And this is not just happening to the rank-and-file employees. Senior executives in job search mode are being lied to as well!
While managers are under significant pressure to find talent in a competitive labor market, lying to candidates undermines an organization’s integrity and is bad for business. Beyond that, it can also be costly.
Let’s assume that you’re hiring the brightest people you can find. If you think these people aren’t bright enough to figure out they’ve been lied to quickly, then what does that say about you?
And when you look at the cost of employee turnover, which is estimated to be two to three times someone’s annual earnings, you’ll quickly see that lying managers are costing you a boatload of money!
What are managers lying about?
Hiring managers most commonly lie about the role’s responsibilities (40%), growth opportunities at the company (39%), and career development opportunities (38%).
Additionally, hiring managers admit they lie about company culture (31%), benefits (28%), commitment to social issues (27%), the financial health of the company (26%), compensation (24%), and more.
Imagine for a moment being lied to about your compensation. How does that sit with you?
In addition, about 20% of hiring managers in the study admitted to lying about remote or hybrid opportunities.
The Boomerang Impact of Lying
ResumeBuilder.com’s revealed that 55% of hiring managers said an employee has quit after finding out they were lied to during the hiring process, with 31% of those workers quitting within three months.
This means those lying hiring managers are right back where they started, which is like Karma.
How Companies Can Stop this Fast-Growing Trend
Here are some immediate steps you can take to reverse this trend.
Share this article with every hiring manager in your company. When doing so, make your position clear. Let your people know that unethical behavior is not part of your company’s DNA and that those who lie will soon find themselves on the job market, where they’ll likely experience first-hand what it’s like to be lied to.
Don’t immediately assume this isn’t happening in your company. Maybe this trend isn’t spreading like wildfire in your company. Or perhaps only a handful of people are guilty of lying. However, it’s essential to remember that one liar can do a heck of a lot of damage on their own.
Do what you say you’re going to do. If you catch wind that an employee was lied to during the hiring process, terminate the person or people who committed this act. Then, do your best to follow through on what was promised.
Take a close look at your employee turnover, especially unwanted turnover within someone’s first 90 days of employment. Look for patterns. By that, I mean, does a particular hiring manager have more turnover than others? If so, why is this?
Engage a consultant to interview former employees who voluntarily quit before completing one year of service. Don’t try this yourself, as people will be more apt to be honest when speaking with someone your firm does not employ.
Check your Glassdoor account (a place where applicants go to find out the real scoop on companies) to see what employees and job seekers say about your organization. This unfiltered view of your business may reveal truths that may surprise you.
Read the full article here
