Gen Z's No-Show Work Trends: Career Catfishing and Office Ghosting

Quiet quitting may be so 2022. The newest workplace trends making waves are “career catfishing” and “office ghosting.” Both signal a shift in how Gen Z views work and how willing they are to embellish – or simply vanish – to get ahead.

Career catfishing, coined by TikToker @corporatebaddie, involves padding one’s resume, skills, and experience to land a job. This could mean inflating job titles, adding nonexistent projects to portfolios, or even outright lying about credentials. Unlike traditional resume embellishments, however, career catfishing is a more extreme, deliberate, and often calculated act of deception.

Office ghosting, on the other hand, takes the concept of ghosting – abruptly ending communication with no explanation – and applies it to the professional world. This could include not showing up for an interview, vanishing after accepting a job offer, or even ceasing all communication and abandoning a current role without a word. While similar to quiet quitting, in which employees do the bare minimum at work, office ghosting is more drastic, leaving employers and colleagues in the lurch.

These trends raise serious questions about the changing dynamics of the workplace and the motivations behind them. Some experts attribute this behavior to a combination of factors: Gen Z’s comfort with technology and online anonymity, a competitive job market that incentivizes extreme measures, and a growing distrust of traditional employment structures. Others point to burnout and a lack of engagement as key drivers, suggesting that some Gen Z workers may resort to these tactics out of desperation or a perceived lack of better options.

Regardless of the reasons, career catfishing and office ghosting present significant challenges for businesses. Employers are left scrambling to fill vacant positions, deal with disrupted projects, and rebuild trust within their teams. These trends also raise ethical concerns about integrity and accountability in the modern workplace.

As these trends continue to evolve, employers will need to adapt their hiring practices and workplace cultures to address these challenges. This could involve more thorough background checks, stronger emphasis on skills-based hiring, and creating more inclusive and supportive work environments that foster engagement and loyalty.