Hello Deepali:
I've done consulting for years and years, and this has always been an issue...it's certainly not a new one.
A quick anecdotal story, if I may.
When I was in the corporate world, I had unscrupulous executive recruiters attempt to get me to change my mind about positions even after I had accepted and was ready to move into senior corporate positions. The arguments are always the same...the compensation is better with my group, the span of control is either too small in the job you accepted, or too large for effective and efficient management; you'll kill your career by going to work for company "X"-- Positions taken with company "X" will be a "resume blight."
The most amazing personal story I can share is about one exec recruiter who kept calling me, trying to get me to accept a position with company "x" when I had already accepted a position with company "y" and the moving company was there, packing my household belongings to move me to the new job...as a matter of fact, the telephone company was there to disconnect my telephone line, and I had to hang up on the recruiter, who was still telling me all the reasons why I shouldn't take the job I'd agreed to take! That happened to me in 1982, and it still happens today. This isn't an indictment of corporate recruiters--it's an object lesson in human nature.
I'm not sure that new hires or job candidates today are less trustworthy or less scrupulous than they were then...It all goes back to the match between the employee and the position you have available. When you get that match, stay connected to the potential employee.
The easy answer, of course, is for you to go on the offense, and not on the defense--to use a sports term. With all due respect, there are various reasons why activities like this occur. When I read your letter, I see you're on the defense. Make that change in your perception of activities.
In my book Psyched for Life, I write that the very first Corollary of being "Psyched" is to "Change How You Think." It's an object lesson that all of us must use on a daily basis when we encounter disappointments, disillusionment, or pitfalls to our actions.
You must begin to think as the HR Professional on the offense.
With my current coaching clients, this is one of the first principles of change I address with the client. Without acceptance of the concept of thought change, nothing we work to achieve is likely to come to pass. And most of us want to be thought of as achievers--it's obvious from your post, that's how you view yourself.
Let's think about how to apply this to this object lesson in HR.
When someone accepts a position, you need to examine the reasons why they are accepting it, and stress these reasons until the day they are in your building! What motivates a client to accept a new position?
Is your compensation package up to standard?
Are your positional expectations realistic? Did you communicate them well?
Is your company one with a great reputation for growth?
Did you offer the opportunity for your new employee to talk with other employees? Why not? People currently working for the company are the most relevant indicators of whether or not the company does what it says. What would your current employees tell a potential new hire?
How many people within your organization spoke with the potential new hire? This is a "gut-check" for a potential new hire as to how visible he/she may be in their new position. If no one cares to talk to me during the interview process, what does that tell me about the opportunity for growth---and the professionalism of the organization?
Finally, while I hear your cry for help in addressing an issue, I also read between the lines that issues such as those listed above may or may not be occurring. If they aren't, I'd look internally as to your recruitment methods, your screening processes, your reference checking system, your hiring advisal process, and your own followup systems to be sure that all elements of the hiring process have been created and followed to positively engage the new hire from the first interview until the follow up interview--after he/she has been on board and completed mandatory training.
I hope that's helpful--please let me know if I can do anything else to help.
All the best.
Alan Guinn, Managing Director
The Guinn Consultancy Group, Inc.