Only about half of job candidates say they trust the organizations they apply to

There’s been much chatter this year about the merits of garnering employee trust. But what about building trust among potential new hires before entering the door? 

Prospective employees could easily be written off as unworthy of further investment as leaders tighten budgets and try to increase efficiency. But research finds that failing to build trust among job candidates could result in fewer accepted job offers and shorter retention among new hires. 

A recent survey from management consulting firm Gartner finds that slightly over half (54%) of job candidates say they trust the organizations to which they’re applying to be honest during the hiring process. Even more concerning, 44% of survey respondents say they’ve accepted a job offer only to change their minds later. 

Faith in employers is already low among workers who have gone through layoffs and feel they lack job security. “Some research has found that employees who have gone through a layoff are 65% more likely than those who have not been laid off to quit their next job,” according to Gartner. Its data portend these new employees will be an immediate flight risk and look for better or more secure job opportunities after acquiring their new positions.

Carmen von Rohr, a senior principal in Gartner’s HR practice and the report’s author, advises HR leaders to rethink the candidate experience entirely. That starts with reconsidering who makes first contact with potential job candidates. Gartner finds that potential hires trust hiring managers more than recruiters, primarily when relaying critical information like possible career paths and company culture details. 

It also finds that early-career employees are more likely to trust an organization when current employees are involved in hiring. “Entry-level candidates are much more likely than their mid or senior-level counterparts to trust other employees most with cultural and diversity information. They are also more likely than other candidates to trust current employees’ answers to questions about work-life balance and the management style of their prospective manager,” von Rohr writes, adding that HR leaders should equip recruiters with the right tools or training to exemplify why top applicants should accept a job offer.

Otherwise, recruiters can become a “point of risk,” writes von Rohr. “Sixteen percent of candidates who withdrew from a position after accepting an offer say they did so because of a negative interaction with a recruiter.”

Amber Burton
amber.burton@fortune.com
@amberbburton

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