In our last post, we shared the key traits of recruitment business owners, and you can read it here.
One of the traits related to managing performance.
Now usually the focus for many recruitment owners is on under performers; though what if you have a super star that you are worried might burnout?
You know the one I mean. A superstar in the pack that you don’t want to lose or push over the edge.
It’s happening more frequently in the recruitment organisations we work with.
Both Katy and I know that it’s easy to overload great peformers; especially when you know they are great at delivering; trouble is they won’t always tell you that enough is enough.
With workplace wellbeing and mental heath issues becoming part of every responsible leaders agenda we wnt to shares some facts and a few suggestions on what you can do.
The Burnout Signs
According to a post in Personnel today your high performing billers could be at risk of burnout; it doesn’t just happen to corporate high flyers.
Here are some indictors to look out for.
- Burnout happens to high performers and is sometimes called over acheivers syndrome
- It can happen to the top 20% of your billers
- The conditions for burnout are created by organisations or circumstances
- Burnout predominantly happens among 20 to 30 year olds and occurs during the first five to ten years following a subtle downward spiral
- The immune system is under stress, and you might notice repeated coughs and colds that they struggle on with
- Aches and pains are common, watch out for neck and back problems and repeated use of painkillers
- Most recruiters love to party, and excessive alcohol consumption is the norm
- Similarly, if your high performer used to be a gym freak and now eats C”!!** it’s a warning sign
- They have a short fuse, and though they still hit the goals you set it’s harder than it used to be
- Surprisingly they are oblivious to any changes
Ringing any bells? I suspect the answer is yes because recently Katy and I have had this conversation with some recruitment owners who have attended our events
How To Prevent Burnout
The old saying that prevention is better than cure works here. Recruiting has always had a macho image; work hard, play hard, and work till you drop. Then get back up and do it all again.
The world has changed, and so has our work force.
Our Millennial and Gen Z employees expect:
- Procedure and process
- Professional onboarding
- Training
- A talent pathway
- A development plan as standard
- A performance management and review process
Also, they want to work in an organisation that has an awesome culture and an employer brand that stands out.
You can read more about all these areas in the other posts we have written recently.
Are you delivering these elements and do they form part of your induction process that lasts longer than month one; we hope so!
If you have these procedures in place it’s a great grounding for the right approach.
The uncomfortable question needs to be asked too; are you expecting too much?
Though we both hate that word realistic are your targets logical and achievable rather than impossible and soul destroying?
How To Tackle Burnout
We have mentioned some actions already around regular review and appraisal. As a manager develop your questioning skills and ask questions that open up a conversation where recruiters feel safe to let you know what is happening for them.
Have mentors or buddies in your team and foster a ‘team’ approach where people look out for one another.
Consistently review the targets you set, if no one is achieving what you have set without working 15-18 hour days; something is wrong. You need more people to scale, or your targets are wrong.
Fact: Flogging a dead horse rarely brings improved results!
What Next?
If you have ambitious targets and want to develop a high performing team who are successful without burnout let’s talk. Check out all our success stories here. Then email us here to book a call.
Warm regards
Nicky and Katy
