The Silent Epidemic: Poaching in ABA and Professional Ethics in the LinkedIn Era

The field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) has always been built on human connection, relationships with our clients, collaboration among professionals, and a shared mission to change lives through evidence-based practice. But lately, another kind of “behavior” has been spreading quietly across our professional landscape: poaching.

Recently, one of our team members approached me with something that stopped me in my tracks. They had received a direct message on LinkedIn from another ABA company, not a recruiter responding to an application, but a cold outreach offering them a job. The irony? They weren't even displaying the “Open to Work” badge. They were not looking. They were loyal, dedicated, and happy where they are at. And instead of engaging, they came to me and said, “I thought you should know this is happening.”

That simple act of honesty spoke volumes. But it also highlighted something that many in our field are whispering about: the increasing normalization of poaching as a recruitment tactic.

The Ethics of Poaching in Professional Spaces

Recruiting is part of growth. We all understand that good clinicians and admin staff are hard to find, and healthy competition can drive innovation. But there’s a clear line between ethical recruitment and unethical poaching.

When a company targets employed professionals who have not indicated interest in changing jobs, especially through unsolicited direct messages or social media tactics, that crosses into a gray area of professionalism. In fields like ABA, where integrity and respect for others’ autonomy are central to our practice, it’s even more concerning.

The BACB Ethics Code reminds us to act with integrity, avoid exploitation, and promote honesty in our professional relationships. If we hold ourselves and our staff to those standards in client care, shouldn’t we also uphold them in how we build and grow our teams?

The Real-World Impact: Beyond Business

Poaching doesn’t just affect companies, it disrupts lives and, ultimately, the quality of care clients receive. When staff are approached by competing agencies, it can create confusion, stress, and doubt. Teams lose cohesion, clients lose consistency, and organizations are left to rebuild relationships that take years to develop.

For small and midsize ABA practices, this can be especially damaging. Unlike large corporate chains with expansive marketing budgets, independent organizations often grow through word of mouth, mentorship, and genuine community trust. When that’s undermined by aggressive recruiting, the whole ecosystem suffers.

This isn’t about “protecting” staff, it’s about protecting the integrity of our field.

A Call for Ethical Recruitment

As a community, we can do better. Growth doesn’t need to come at the expense of respect. There’s room for everyone in this field if we prioritize values over volume.

Here are a few principles that could guide more ethical hiring practices:

• Transparency: Recruit through open channels where professionals can choose to engage.

• Respect for relationships: Avoid direct solicitation of currently employed clinicians.

• Collaboration over competition: Create partnerships and pipelines that lift the field as a whole.

• Retention first: Build a culture that attracts, not lures, talent.

If we, as leaders, model these standards, we not only protect our teams but strengthen the entire ABA community.

Leading with Integrity

The strength of ABA lies not just in the science of behavior, but in the behavior of its practitioners. Let’s be the generation of providers that says, “We don’t just talk about ethics, we live them.”

Because when we treat our professionals with respect, we set the tone for how we treat everyone else, our clients, our families, and our field.