A growing number of young workers are bringing a habit once associated with dating apps into the professional world: ghosting employers.

As companies navigate a slower hiring environment following the post-pandemic labor boom, some hiring managers report that candidates are accepting job offers, failing to complete required paperwork, or simply never appearing for their first scheduled day of work. The pattern is raising fresh concerns about workplace professionalism among Gen Z employees, the oldest of whom are now in their mid-to-late twenties and establishing career trajectories.

Mary Julia Koch, Associate Editor for The Wall Street Journal's Free Expression section, appeared on "Varney & Co." to discuss why the trend appears to be gaining traction among Gen Z workers, and what broader economic and cultural forces may be influencing their behavior.

Koch noted that the generation delaying traditional life milestones is simultaneously entering a challenging labor market following years of economic disruption. She identified housing affordability issues and persistent inflation as key factors contributing to widespread discouragement among young adults.

"There have been huge economic pressures, and especially among a generation that was of prime home-buying age during the pandemic, they didn't hit that benchmark," Koch said. "And I think it's left many young people feeling that the system is rigged against them, that they've been locked out of the American dream."

The phenomenon may be more widespread than many employers realize. According to a Resume.org survey, 54% of hiring managers have been ghosted by Gen Z candidates after extending a formal job offer.

Notably, ghosting in hiring has not been confined to one side of the process. Surveys from recent years have also documented employers cutting off communication with candidates without notice, particularly during the pandemic hiring surge, which some workplace analysts say has eroded mutual expectations of professional courtesy between applicants and companies.

Koch suggested that ghosting employers reflects the communication habits characteristic of many Gen Z workers. "Ghosting is a thing you do over text," she said. "It's such a classically Gen Z behavior now entering the job search, which in today's low-hire, low-fire job market, you probably don't wanna be on the wrong side of a hiring manager. You would at least give them an email response."

Koch also argued that growing up in a digital environment has made face-to-face interactions more intimidating for some young adults, adding that job interviews can prove particularly stressful for a generation accustomed to communicating primarily through screens. The professional stakes of ghosting can be significant, as withdrawn offers and damaged references may follow candidates into future job searches in an environment where hiring managers increasingly rely on networks and reputation.