Employee Burnout: What We As Employers Can Do.
Jessica Palmer, M.A. Industrial & Organizational Psychology • November 3, 2020
While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to threaten people's physical health across the globe, the effects it has had on people's mental health cannot be ignored. In fact, employees in today's economy are feeling more overwhelmed than ever. Between battling constant fears of losing their jobs, feeling overworked and facing new challenges to work-life balance, it is not surprising that the pandemic is taking an unprecedented toll on their mental health. Whether working from home or going into an office, both scenarios present new concerns and challenges for employees that cannot be taken lightly, making it more important than ever for leaders to regularly check in with their employees to help avoid burnout.
Employee burnout can be very harmful to business success, especially in the wake of this global pandemic. Understanding the causes and recognizing the critical signs of employee burnout is more crucial to business owners than ever before. Based on a recent Gallup survey, there are five primary causes of burnout, which include unfair treatment, unmanageable workload, lack of role clarity, lack of communication and manager support and unreasonable time pressure. Throwing in the added pressures of the changing work environment (social distancing, masks, etc.), overwhelming health concerns, and financial struggles now facing employees due to COVID, employees' stress levels are reaching an all-time high making burnout an unavoidable concern for employers.
Some signs to watch for when it comes to identifying burnout among your employees include a lack of concentration, frequent illness, irritability, anxiety, lack of productivity, pessimism and arriving late to work regularly. So, if you notice your usual peppy, engaged employee suddenly shifting gears, becoming more withdrawn, frustrated and depressed, don't be quick to jump to conclusions, assuming they're just lazy and uninterested in their work. Keep in mind that this pandemic is impacting everyone on various levels, and they may be in need of additional support from management.
With a lack of usual coping mechanisms (gyms, social gatherings, etc.), employees may be finding it difficult to overcome the added stressors leading to burnout. This means it is even more important for employers to offer support to their workforce by regularly checking in with their staff, being creative and offering employee assistance as needed. As an employer, you need to keep the lines of communication open, encourage employees to take some time off, host regular virtual team meet-ups and take measures to enhance your employees' general well-being, such as offer free trials for a workout program that employees can take part in from home. Whatever you decide to do, keep the communication flowing. Ensure your employees are kept up-to-date on the company's latest happenings and leaders are providing frequent, consistent and valuable feedback to their employees to maintain honest and open communication throughout these difficult times.
When you’re looking for the best employees to fill your vacancies, it can be difficult to know where to look. While general job postings may help discover your next superstar, you may also be inundated with unqualified applicants. Sifting through these resumes can be tedious and may not yield the results you need. The need to find qualified applicants leads some employers to a job marketplace to seek their next employee. While they can be beneficial, they also have their pitfalls that some employers don’t realize until it’s too late. Let’s explore the pros and cons of job marketplaces so you can decide if using one is the best solution to fill your hiring needs. Benefits of Using a Job Marketplace There are several ways that using a job marketplace can benefit employers. Here are some things to consider: Convenience Using a job marketplace allows employers to post openings and manage applications all in one place. This can help to save time, although there may be many applications to sort through until you find even one qualified candidate. Targeted Search Many job marketplaces allow employers to filter their searches for the specific skills, experience levels, and locations they are looking for. This can help to weed out unqualified candidates. Wide Pool of Candidates There is a wide pool of candidates available through job marketplaces. This gives employers access to applicants they may not have seen elsewhere. While this wide pool of candidates can offer choice, some employers can find it overwhelming to have so many people looking for positions. Cost-Effective Some job marketplaces offer free or low-cost options for posting jobs. This is appealing to many employers who don’t want to spend a lot of money searching for candidates. Access to Data Marketplaces can give employers access to data regarding skills and experience. This can help them to make informed decisions during the hiring process. Use Niche Job Marketplaces If you are searching for skilled manufacturing candidates, you can seek out niche job marketplaces that should only attract these types of candidates. These are job boards targeted to particular industries. People using these boards should be looking for jobs just like yours. Just be on the lookout for frauds, because there may still be people trying to use these marketplaces and waste your time in the process. Drawbacks of Using a Job Marketplace While there are several benefits to turning to a job marketplace to find qualified candidates, there are also drawbacks that need to be recognized such as: Low-Quality Applicants Employers may discover a large pool of low-quality applicants or ones that just don’t match the skills of the job description. Taking time to sort through these applicants may cause employers to miss out on candidates who are truly qualified and eager to work. Job marketplaces may also not attract top talent, as these types of applicants may prefer to deal with companies directly or through networking opportunities. Competition The competition among companies on job marketplaces can be tough. With too many companies crowding the field, it can be difficult for top-quality companies to stand out. Prospective employees may have trouble finding you, and you may miss out on stellar employees as a result. High Cost While there are some affordable job marketplaces, there are others that charge fees per post or per application. If you’re a company hiring for multiple positions, this can get expensive quickly. Despite the benefits of using a job marketplace, hiring managers must still use their valuable time to seek out qualified applicants. This can take away from the time they need to complete other tasks. This is why many companies turn to recruiting agencies. Recruiting agencies have dedicated staff to uncover talent and bring you only the most qualified candidates. Contact Summit Careers to Find Your Next Employee Summit Careers is here to help you find your next employee. Utilizing the services of a recruiting service like ours can help to increase retention rates so you’re not dealing with the same vacancies in another six months. We focus on attracting and helping you hire the right talent, leading to higher employee satisfaction. We all know happy employees are more likely to stay than those who are unsatisfied. If you’re ready to streamline your hiring process and find your next superstar, contact the Summit Careers team today . Let us show you what we can do for you!
When you’re looking to fill job vacancies, you want to find your next employee as quickly as possible. The more time you spend, the more work that will pile up, putting stress on your other employees, impacting your productivity and bottom line. This is why reducing hiring time is key for manufacturers. Let’s look at the benefits manufacturers can expect as they look for more efficient hiring processes. Benefits of Efficient Hiring Processes Increased Productivity When you have efficient hiring processes, you increase productivity within your company. A faster hiring process translates to lower recruitment costs and overall time spent reviewing applications and conducting interviews. This is why many companies choose to use recruiting agencies to take care of these tasks. By doing so, your team can focus on the other tasks on their list. This increases productivity by allowing them to get their other work done and brings on a new hire quicker to take care of responsibilities so that no one feels overworked and stressed. Improved Morale If there are job vacancies, current staff usually take on a larger workload, which can result in low morale if the situation persists for a long time. When you reduce hiring time, you bring in new people, leading to improved morale and job satisfaction among your current staff. Enhanced Revenue With a streamlined hiring process, manufacturers can respond quickly to market demands by having a full staff. This can help to increase revenue and sales. Attracting Top Talent Efficient hiring processes attract top talent. People who have the skills want to get to work quickly. They see that your company is focused and means business. Those who share the same mindset are attracted to this type of company, resulting in you having the best employees around. Better Candidate Experience When potential candidates see that you are efficient in your hiring, it enhances their experience. They will go into the job with a positive attitude and will likely tell others about their experience. This not only puts your company in a positive light but can also work in your favor to address future top talent. Avoids Losing Top Talent to Competitors If someone is job hunting they are likely applying to multiple jobs at once. If your company is slow with its hiring process or has many gaps in how it handles different steps of the process, top talent is going to be turned away and will gravitate towards a company that has it together. The other company will reach out to them quicker, interview faster, and make an offer, all while you are dragging your feet. By being inefficient, you are steering top talent to other companies. Efficiency will breed top talent which is why more companies are trying to streamline their hiring processes. What is the Best Way to Make the Hiring Process More Efficient? The best way to reduce the time that the hiring process can take is to hire a recruiting agency to find your next employee. They have access to candidates who are seeking various jobs and can take the time to sift through resumés, pre-interview candidates, and present you with only the best matches. They also have automated systems that can help to expedite the process even further. When you are working with a recruiting agency, your team can focus on their other tasks, limiting the impact a job vacancy has on your company. This can help to maintain productivity while a new employee is being onboarded. If you want to learn more about how a recruiting agency can help expedite your hiring process, contact Summit Careers today. We help companies in the manufacturing sector and a variety of other businesses find quality candidates who are ready to get to work. Contact the Summit Careers team today to learn more.
Finding the right job candidates can be one of the most tedious tasks, especially if you have a specific niche you’re trying to fill. This process can take longer than you’d like. This is why you want to start your search before it's too late. If you wait until you really need to fill a position, you’re going to find yourself in a limited hiring pool that is quickly going to turn into desperation, which means you won’t find the best candidates. As we take a closer look at how a limited hiring pool can hurt your candidate search, we’re also going to share some tips to avoid a desperate hunt to find candidates. What Does “Limited Hiring Pool” Mean? A limited hiring pool refers to a scenario where there is a small number of qualified candidates who are available to fill a specific opening. As you can imagine, this makes it difficult for a company to find the right employees. Factors like geographic location, industry trends, and a specific skill set, can all play into finding yourself in a limited talent pool. How to Avoid Being Caught in a Limited Hiring Pool Start as Early as Possible To avoid getting stuck in a limited hiring pool, you should put out job descriptions as soon as you know you’re going to need to fill a position. This should happen well before the actual job vacancy occurs. This gives enough time to sift through resumés and find the best fit. This should also give you a larger pool of applicants to choose from. Actively Network Even if you aren’t actively hiring, you could be actively networking. Attend job fairs, local events, and anything else that will put you in front of potential candidates. By taking this step, you will already have some connections to people who may be looking to fill your positions when they become vacant. Update Job Postings Keep job postings updated so that they are ready to go at a moment’s notice. This can be helpful if someone abruptly leaves your company. If you have to waste time crafting the perfect job posting, you may quickly find yourself desperate for candidates. Just having to click “upload” is one of the quickest ways to get your job vacancy filled. Utilize Social Media Social media can be extremely helpful when searching for candidates, but be ready for an influx of people! It can be overwhelming to discover just how many people may respond to your social media post, but this certainly widens your pool of potential candidates. This is a great way to discover many different types of candidates. You may even find people who are perfect for future roles. You can always remove the post if you find yourself drowning in a pool of unqualified candidates. Offer Employee Referral Incentives Offer your current employees incentives if they can find your next superstar. Many times people have friends and acquaintances who are looking for the types of jobs you’re posting. A monetary bonus or some type of incentive for your current employee can be a great way to attract talent and avoid setting off a desperate search for new workers. Plus, it shows prospective employees the type of working culture they may be a part of in the future. This positive atmosphere will reflect well on your company. Work with a Recruitment Agency An excellent way to avoid limited hiring pools is to work with a recruitment agency. They are constantly receiving resumés from people with a variety of skills. The best part is that you don’t have to go through all of the paperwork. The agency does it for you and presents you with only the top candidates to fill your position. This saves you valuable time that you can use to complete other tasks within your company. If you’re interested in working with a recruitment agency that gets results, Summit Careers is here to help. We have a growing database of candidates in a variety of careers who are looking for jobs just like yours. Reach out to us today to see what the Summit Careers team can do for you!
