These 3 Stress Factors at Work are Impacting Your Mental Health – Here’s How to Avoid Them

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Each May marks Mental Health Awareness Month, where people all over the nation join the movement to raise awareness about mental health. This recognition serves to fight stigma, provide support, educate the public, and advocate for policies that support people with mental illness as well as their families. The National Alliance on Mental Illness has dubbed 2022’s Mental Health Awareness Month’s message as “together for mental health.”  

As part of the movement, Blue Signal asked our followers how their work environments and related stress impact their mental health. In 2019, the American Institute of Stress found that 83% of US workers suffer from work-related stress. More alarming, 2022’s stats revealed that 25% of workers say that their job is the #1 stressor in their lives. Our followers specifically noted career and job ambiguity, their workload, and lack of recognition as their top stressors. In this blog, we will review these stressors and discuss some of the best mechanisms for choosing and thriving within a healthy work environment.  

Stress Factors at Work Blog Poll Results

#1 – Stress Surrounding Career Ambiguity  

Due to the turbulence set in motion by the pandemic, career ambiguity and job insecurity have become prominent issues for all professionals everywhere. Even today, layoffs are commonplace and many are unsure if they could be affected next. Based on our poll results, career and job ambiguity were listed as the #1 stressor for 34% of respondents. This reflects similar findings from 2021’s AIS reports, with 52% of people saying that growth and development-related factors had a significant impact on their stress levels at work.  

Although the worry is well-founded, there are ways to feel more secure in your job or career – starting with selecting the right employer. Whether you’re looking for a job today, or are re-evaluating your current situation, here is what you should look for in an employer.  

Transparency  

Every good employer displays some degree of transparency. Whether it’s regarding the overall performance of the company, or their plans for the future, a healthy work environment will make the status of the company’s stability common knowledge among all employees. If not, it can leave workers wondering where they stand – resulting in stress.  

Clear-Cut Progression Plans  

Companies should have clear-cut progression plans in place when it comes to departments, teams, and promotions. If you join a company at X level, you can expect to move up to Y, then Z after meeting pre-established criteria. If an employer doesn’t have a plan like this in place, it’s a recipe for disaster as far as career progression expectations are concerned.  

Actionable Feedback 

An organization’s leadership truly sets the tone for all operations. Seek out organizations that promote regular and actionable feedback from leadership – like regular one-on-one meetings. This should help affirm how to move up in the company, the importance of your role, and  the overall encouragement of communication and idea sharing. The more consistent the feedback, the more stable you will feel.  

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#2 – Workload Stress  

In a close second place, 32% of our respondents listed an excessive workload as their #1 stress factor at work. Unfortunately, this seems to be an issue that’s stood the test of time. In 2017, Statista found that 39% of workers said that a heavy workload was their main cause of stress. If this sounds familiar, here’s how you can improve that environment for yourself.  

Talk to Leadership 

If you are feeling overworked in your current role, you should ask for help from leadership. If you have good leaders, it shouldn’t reflect poorly on you that you want to better manage tasks. Try to come up with a solution together, whether that’s hiring more help, offloading responsibility to another less-utilized individual or department, or by streamlining processes.  

Delegate Tasks 

If you find yourself overworked, and you are the leadership – delegate! Handing off tasks can be difficult; many people believe that time invested in bringing someone up to speed could have been the time used to just do the task yourself. However, while training someone up on a new task can be time consuming in the short term, in the long term it will benefit your workload for the better. After all, this is what junior team members are for! Utilize them.  

Prioritize  

This may seem like the easy answer, but prioritizing tasks can truly have a positive impact on time management and ultimately easing your workload. Schedule out blocks of time for recurring tasks, and set the expectation with your team that you will only devote that amount of time to the task per day, week, or whatever you decide. By setting firm boundaries, but still prioritizing the right tasks, you can better manage your workload.  

After completing these steps, if your employer is unable to help alleviate this workload stress, it signifies poor management on their part – that could be present in other areas of the business. In this case, it’s probably time to move on and prioritize your mental health.  

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#3 – Stress from Lack of Recognition  

In many work environments, particularly in team settings, it can be an unfortunately common occurrence to not receive recognition for individual actions and successes. In fact, 23% of our respondents credited this lack of recognition as their main form of workplace stress. Research by Deloitte confirms this, finding that “the top driver of burnout... was lack of support or recognition from leadership.” 

Therefore, in order to avoid these pitfalls in your next role, ask your interviewer how they work to recognize individual contributions to greater goals. Good employers should have programs in place that help support their workforce. Look for things like quarterly awards, awards based on something other than metrics, room for merit-based promotions, and individual recognition.  

If you are in a leadership capacity today and don’t have programs like this in place – make them! Whenever a success is achieved, congratulate each individual and thank them for their personal contributions in front of the team. This will help them feel recognized, valued, and can help with retention.  

Remember – leaders set the tone. To avoid stress from lack of recognition in your next role, look for leadership that puts in the extra effort to celebrate individual performance and achievements.  

 

TLDR – What to Remember  

Ultimately, every workplace is different. This list does not encompass all stressors experienced by workers, however it’s a good place to start. If you’re looking for further support and tools, the CDC has created a great set of tools for stress management in work settings that covers all the bases. Just remember and put these key indicators to practice in order to help you find and join a healthy work environment.  

Whether you’re looking to make a career move due to stress, are just wanting to improve your current situation, or are seeking better ways to build up your team as a leader – working with a recruiter can help you achieve those goals. They can give insight into what it’s actually like to work for a company in your industry, and will advocate for you to land in your best situation. Blue Signal’s talent acquisition professionals are experts on spotting green flags and will get you headed on the right path to achieving workplace mental health. Reach out today to get started, and alleviate your work-based stress.  

So You Just Got Rejected, Now What? 5 Steps to Ace That Next Interview

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Rejection is painful no matter how it happens. Getting rejected from a job is no different. Just like dating, it might have been due to a bad first impression or maybe they lost interest and ghosted. Whatever the case, bad interviews or disappearing interviewers, getting rejected from a job isn’t the end of the road.  

Getting rejected from a job is nothing personal. Interviewers are just doing business! Regardless of the circumstance, rejection puts you in a great spot to learn. After being rejected from a job, you can always follow these 5 steps to ace that interview and land that next great job:  

  1. Ask for Feedback 
  2. Identify and Understand Why it was a Mismatch 
  3. Leverage Your Support System
  4. Don’t Stop the Job Search
  5. Leverage External Resources  

 

Asking for Feedback after Being Rejected  

Unlike after a bad first date, asking for feedback is perfectly acceptable interview etiquette! It might be a sore subject, but it can really help you dial into things to change for your next interview. Indeed has a great template for how to respond to a job rejection email that you can leverage to ask for feedback. 

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While you may not have landed the job, following up and asking for feedback will show incredible levels of professionalism. Not to mention, the ability to learn and adapt are both excellent qualities in an applicant.  

Better yet, the interviewer’s response can give you specific action items to address in the next steps of your job search journey. In the end, getting rejected could turn into your best tool for improvement!  

 

Identify and Understand Why the Role May Have Been a Mismatch  

Unfortunately, it’s commonplace for an interview to not live up to a candidate’s expectations. Job descriptions often don’t portray the intricacies of the role or the culture of the company. Perhaps this was your experience – the job looked good on paper, but when you were in the interview room you realized the job wasn’t what you thought it would be.  

For example, lots of “marketing” jobs listed with marketer titles online are actually sales roles in practice. If your strong suit is in analytics and SEO, make sure that you don’t end up in an advertising sales interview by reading between the lines of the job posting to fully understand the role. They may have posted a “Marketing Specialist” title but listed requirements like negotiation skills and the ability to communicate clearly with end clients.  

Be sure to refine your search to target jobs that are a better match when it comes to the functions of the role, not the job title. Then, prepare to speak to your qualifications as it pertains to those functions. You’re much more likely to succeed in an interview for a job you’re perfectly aligned for. And in the case where you end up in an ill-fit interview, getting rejected may end up saving you from a bad job! 

 

Leverage Your Support System  

Getting rejected can be a pretty sizable blow to anyone’s confidence. Restore it by practicing in a safe space! Reach out to trusted friends or colleagues to help you prepare for the next interview. Run through some mock interviews and have them ask you common interview questions. This usually includes staples like: 

  • What are your strengths and weaknesses? 
  • Where do you see yourself in five years? 
  • Why should we hire you over other applicants? 
  • What is your biggest accomplishment?  

 

Better yet, review the questions you were asked in your last interview so you can be ready in case they come up again in the future. After each answer, discuss your responses together and get feedback on ways to optimize.  

Most everyone has a bad interview story, so getting rejected from a job is very likely an experience you and your friends share. Ask them about their past interview experiences and try to learn from their own mistakes and triumphs. At the very least, share a good laugh about it!  

Their input can be even more beneficial if they happen to work in your same industry or practice area. If they have experience as the interviewer themselves, ask them what they typically look for when assessing a candidate. What have they seen that you could try and replicate? What should you avoid? You may be surprised to hear what their indicators of success are!  

 

Don’t Stop the Job Search – Turn Rejection Into Motivation  

The worst thing you can do after being rejected from a job is stop trying. Keep applying for positions and the odds will be in your favor. It's a simple rule of numbers – the more roles you apply for, the more likely you are to receive an interview. Like the old saying goes, you can’t win if you don’t play.  

While you’re applying, be sure to continually optimize your resume. Each application should have its own personalized resume that’s tailored to the role. Some jobs may put greater emphasis on certain skills than others, so display them accordingly before you hit submit. Over time, your resume should adapt to the needs of the market. For instance, if you’re in an interview and an interviewer asks you a question that’s not answered by your resume, make sure to add that info in for next time! You may be surprised to see what skills you omitted or past experiences you forgot to add that end up being applicable. 

If time allows, take all the interviews you are offered. Jumping right back in after getting rejected may make the next interview daunting, but it’s good practice! Even if you aren’t 100% sold on the role, you may find that when the stakes are lower you’re able to ace it. Recreate that first impression environment and polish your strategies along the way. The best way to work through interview jitters is to acclimate!  

 

Leverage External Resources   

Just like dating, there are many fish in the sea when it comes to job opportunities too. Just because you missed one doesn’t mean the search is over! There are resources out there specifically designed for people in your situation. Resume and Career Services is a perfect place to start. They offer interview preparation tips, resume writing tips, and more in a subscription-based service that’s self-paced and sure to provide value to your career well past the interview stage.  

Recruiters are a similar indispensable tool. If you’re able to work with a recruiter for a job opportunity, leverage their expertise when it comes to applications, interviews, salary negotiations, and career planning. Good recruiters will work to represent you and advocate for your best interests, all while coaching you through the job search process. Blue Signal works with clients to find perfect matches for their open positions. Apply to any of our jobs today to see if you’d be a good fit, and go from rejected to hired! 

Blue Signal Success Stories, Client Testimonials

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Over the last nine years, Blue Signal has worked with hundreds of clients in various industries, successfully executing over 1700 searches. With over 200 years of combined recruiting experience, we have found that supporting others in fulfilling their goals is the most rewarding part of the job. We love the opportunity to help others in any way we can, whether it be supporting our community, finding the perfect candidate for a role, or providing insights on a recruitment strategy. While our numbers speak for themselves, hearing those success stories and getting positive feedback from our clients is what truly makes our job worth it. Blue Signal is humbled by these testimonials we’ve received, and we appreciate each and every review.

TESTIMONIAL:

“My company has been working with Blue Signal for several years. Since that time, Blue Signal has changed our company for the better in so many positive ways, but especially from a cultural and performance perspective.  Most of our leadership team and middle management have been permanent placements from Blue Signal.  As a result of their incredible initiative on our behalf, we’ve earned numerous awards for culture (e.g., Best Place to Work, Certified Great Place to Work), performance (e.g., Inc lists, NC Fast 40 mid-market companies, Financial Times Fast 500 in the Americas, Fast 50, etc.), and have been recognized as one of the leaders in our industry in innovation (e.g., Telecom Tech, Inside Towers, etc.).  We wouldn’t be anywhere close to where we are today without Blue Signal.

The recruiting industry has a bad reputation.  Many recruiters simply inundate clients with resumes having little to no knowledge of the position, candidate, or company and with little or no concern for either the candidate or the company.  Blue Signal is completely different.  They elevate long-term relationships over short-term profits for both candidates and clients, trusting that profits will eventually come.  Blue Signal is disrupting an industry that is desperately in need of disruption by leading with values.

Blue Signal exhibits all the types of trust necessary to build and maintain positive relationships, which creates a virtuous ecosystem for both recruits and clients.  They keep their word.  They do what they say they are going to do.  They have a willingness to be candid and transparent.  If they make a mistake (which is rare), they will admit their mistake.  They are a master of their trade.  I can count on their professionalism and excellence.  They don’t follow the industry crowd – they do things their own way.  They are insightful, knowledgeable, and take the time to demonstrate their knowledge and desire for a positive candidate and company match.  They demonstrate a genuine concern for the well-being of others.  And finally, they are reliable.  I can trust that they will uphold the same habits and norms of behavior repeatedly and over a long period of time.

Blue Signal is a standard-bearer for their industry.  I’m confident they would be an outstanding representation for this Award for Ethics.  I give them my highest recommendation."

— CEO & Founder, Top Telecommunications Company

TESTIMONIAL:

“Matt Walsh and his team at Blue Signal did a great job helping us find a specialized engineer for a position that had been open for over a year. We had been working with other recruiters for several months before I received a referral for Matt. Although I was hesitant to work with another recruiter, he really set himself apart with his professionalism and industry knowledge. I really appreciated the fact that Matt took the time to understand what we were looking for instead of simply throwing a bunch of resumes at us. I never felt pressured to move forward with a candidate that I didn’t feel was a good fit for the role. You can tell he genuinely cares about matching the needs of both his candidate and his client. I highly recommend partnering with Matt and his team at Blue Signal for your hiring needs.”

— Engineering Manager, Electrical & Electronic Manufacturing

Testimonials from client

Blue Signal’s search process is unlike any other, using a highly targeted 12-step interview process to match the right candidate to the right opportunity. We take the time to understand the needs of the client and find candidates that exemplify those characteristics and qualifications they’re seeking. If hiring managers wanted to review hundreds of resumes, they’d just post the open role themselves. That’s why Blue Signal does so much more than collect CVs. We alleviate the burdens in our clients’ searches by presenting top talent who are vetted through our 12-step process before they reach our clients’ desks - saving them time, and money.

TESTIMONIAL:

“Blue Signal has exceeded my every expectation in a search team. I will not introduce them to competitors, as I'm hoping they focus on new markets to fill their time and remain my secret weapon in the war for my specific unicorn talent.”

— General Manager, Chemical Manufacturer

Testimonials from Client

When working with Blue Signal, clients gain access to passive talent that they may not find otherwise. Chances are, the best talent on the market is employed today - but hopefully not by your competitor. While partnering with a recruiting firm has various benefits, this access to passive job seekers is our clients’ secret weapon in finding their specific “unicorn” talent. Blue Signal recruiters have thorough training, niche industry knowledge, and strong expertise that allow them to curate a candidate pool of otherwise inaccessible talent.

TESTIMONIAL:

“Blue Signal is a tenacious, committed partner in the recruiting process. Their drive to ensure successful, win-win placements for both clients and candidates helped accelerate our recruiting process, eased many of the burdens typically associated with recruiting efforts, and resulted in our making exceptional hires.” 

— VP of HR, National Wireless Integrator

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Blue Signal’s streamlined recruiting process allows clients to save time while increasing productivity and efficiency. We understand time is money, so we provide a fast turnaround — guaranteeing candidate resumes fast, usually within 24 hours of the initial intake call. Most of our searches are filled in under 30 days, saving our clients’ valuable time while providing them with exceptional hires.

TESTIMONIAL:

“Blue Signal is an exceptional recruiting partner  – they start strong, they stay strong, and they finish even stronger!”

 — Chief Channel Officer, Wireless OEM

Testimonials 4

With over 245 years of combined experience, our recruiting team knows what it takes to connect leaders with top talent. Our recruiters consistently deliver success to our clients and their teams, finding top candidates hand-picked for specialized positions within the industry. Once we’ve found the perfect candidate, we keep that momentum going by offering retention support — including background checks, reference checks, offer letter preparation, and paperwork support — to ensure our client’s new hire’s onboarding is smooth sailing. From start to finish, Blue Signal has our clients covered.

TESTIMONIAL:

“Blue Signal is a true partner in the recruiting process – their job wasn’t done, until our job was done!”  

— VP of Sales, Wireless Company

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Our job goes beyond a signed offer letter. We invest in your company’s success by guaranteeing results. Unlike other recruiting firms, Blue Signal’s unique search agreements come with a 12-month guarantee for new hires. If our client’s new hire leaves within their first year, we will credit them the difference to find a replacement.

TESTIMONIAL:

“Matt and the team at Blue Signal use an incredible process to deliver outstanding results: the people they’ve helped us recruit have created tens of millions in enterprise value for our organization.  I’m always on the lookout for the extremely rare opportunity to create an actual competitive advantage.  I consider Matt and his team at Blue Signal one of those very infrequent differentiators. I give them my highest recommendation.”

— CEO, Telecommunications Company

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At Blue Signal, we believe hiring the right people is the best way to transform a business. In fact, 63% of Blue Signal candidates are promoted within 18 months. This top talent is destined to make an impact, with an average tenure of 56 months. Blue Signal is passionate about finding candidates that produce results, adding value to our client’s company and bottom line.

TESTIMONIAL:

“I have used Matt and Blue Signal over and over specifically because they don’t compare to other recruiters I’ve used – they are better, faster, more accurate, more effective. I have used other recruiters who seem to think that if they throw enough candidates at you, one is bound to ‘stick.’ Blue Signal filters down to truly qualified individuals BEFORE they get to me – key for my schedule and the business.”

— Senior Sales Director, Wireless Company

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In such a competitive talent market, companies cannot afford to waste time looking at subpar candidates. All of our recruiters pre-screen, cross reference, and conduct initial interviews with each candidate before presenting to our client, so they know that time spent on their search is not wasted. We strive to find extraordinary candidates while taking our client’s timeline and budget into consideration, matching their urgency every time.

TESTIMONIAL:

“I had an opportunity to work closely with Blue Signal on two different occasions. The first time, when I was going through the interviewing/hiring process with their client. The second time, when I was one of the interviewers for their client, seeking the proper candidate for the job opening. On both occasions, Blue Signal provided very close and professional assistance during the entire hiring/interviewing process.”

— Sr. Field Application Engineer, Wireless Company

Testimonials 8

One of the best parts about recruiting is seeing candidates become clients. Regardless of your role in the interview process, Blue Signal provides support and resources every step of the way to guarantee the best results. You can rest assured that whichever side of the business you fall on, we will work to protect your best interests.

TESTIMONIAL:

“Blue Signal, and Art Reed specifically, provide very professional recruiting services. I would not hesitate to recommend Blue Signal to any employer looking for the right candidates, and to any professional seeking the proper career opportunity.” 

— Sr. Field Application Engineer, Wireless Company

Testimonials 9

Over the last nine years, Blue Signal has established itself as the premier executive search firm within wireless/telecom, IoT, medical & healthcare, finance & accounting, emerging technology, cloud & managed services, manufacturing & industrial, logistics & supply chain, human resources, and related industry niches. Working with both candidates and hiring managers, our targeted, specialized searches deliver highly qualified professionals to meet every hiring need. With recruiters located all across the country, we’re able to find and place exemplary candidates from coast to coast. 

TESTIMONIAL:

“Blue Signal has done a great job providing multiple qualified candidates for each of my three recruiting engagements. Despite working together multiple times, they still follow their process and make no assumptions about the goals for the position. As a busy hiring manager, they’re also great at gently managing me through the process – something I find helpful when multiple priorities begin to conflict. I enjoy the communication and collaboration with Blue Signal and would definitely use them again.”

— Global Director, Wireless Company

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At Blue Signal, we invest in the search process - whether it’s our clients’ 1st or 50th search with us. We use a highly targeted 10-step candidate search process to source, recruit, screen, interview, and place the best candidates in our client’s industry. This search process consistently results in excellent hires for our talent seekers, leaving no detail overlooked.

TESTIMONIAL:
“Reflecting on the last year, I’ve truly appreciated working with you. Having worked with many recruiting firms over the years, I can honestly say Blue Signal is top notch. Your professionalism, thoroughness, and overall friendliness is truly appreciated.”

— Head of Engineering, Wireless Company

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As a relationship-based recruiting firm, Blue Signal strives to cultivate deep business relationships with our clients. By establishing an understanding of the client’s organization, their team, and both their hiring and business goals, we’re able to bring an unmatched level of thoroughness to the search. As a result, our long-term relationships and genuine interest in our client’s success set us apart from the rest.

CONCLUSION:

The recruiting space is a competitive one, filled with many different approaches and styles. We encourage all clients and candidates to employ whichever strategy works best for them, even if that means consulting them to turn down the wrong offer or walk away from a subpar hire. The proof is in the results. Our incredible clients’ testimonials help Blue Signal stand out from the rest. If you have reviewed our processes and feedback and believe Blue Signal to be the right recruiting firm for your business, contact us today and set up a consultation to partner with us on your next search.

5 Ways to Recognize a Toxic Work Culture During an Interview

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Today’s job market has pulled a complete 180 on how we envision the hiring process. Candidates, especially in more specialized fields, have their pick of opportunities - with the focus shifting on applicants and cultural fit, rather than just job openings and necessity. The silver lining to this shrinking talent pool is the sense of accountability for companies to create better work environments for employees, including better benefits and fun perks. However, in-office perks like table tennis and early-out Fridays don’t always make up for bad work environments. In fact, a study by Jobvite found that over 15% of candidates turned down job offers due to perceived toxic company culture. When interviewing, it’s important to consider if a company is the right fit for you by learning about the culture, not just the benefits. During this process, here are 5 ways you can recognize a toxic work culture - and avoid it - before accepting an offer. 

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1. Ask About Feedback

If you want to give a good interview it’s recommended that you are prepared to ask questions, not just answer them. To get better insight into the company’s leadership, you should ask about how feedback is given within the team. If you are interviewing with management, ask for an example of a time when they approached an employee with feedback and how that feedback was received. Then, critically listen to their response. When joining a new business, no matter your prior experience, there will always be hurdles in learning their preferred processes. You’ll want to make sure that the learning curve isn’t stacked against you, and that the leadership within the company is prepared to help you along the way. Asking this question can help give you an idea of how your potential new employer will either set you up for success, or otherwise. 

 

2. Examine their Core Values 

Every company will have their own set of established core values. The trick here is to look past the catchy taglines and make sure that they are embracing their code. Before your interview, try to look for the company mission statement on their website. Assess it, then bring it up in the interview. They will be impressed by your initiative and, more importantly, you will be setting yourself up for an authentic response. Some interviewers might have their own tactics for selling their company’s culture down to a script. To cut around the sales pitch, ask for more examples. “I read that a core value of your company is perseverance - can you give me an example of how you have displayed that in your own role?” You want to work for a company that is true to their word, and one that supports values that truly align with your own. 

And do your research! If there is bad press about the company that you think misaligns with their core values, ask about it. Don’t come across as attacking, just say, “I read something concerning about your brand online, and rather than believe everything I read on the internet, I decided it’d be better to get the answers from the source. Can we talk about it?” Conversations like those that happen in interviews are the perfect place to voice your concerns, and can help clear the air in a constructive way. 

 

3. Get a Lay of the Land - or the Office 

A person’s definition of toxic can differ depending on their preferred job structure, so it’s important to know your preference before starting the process. If you’re doing an in-person interview, ask to see the work space. Pay attention to how employees are interacting on the floor - are they engaged in their work? Are they collaborating? Are they distracted? Are they tense? Think about the kind of work environment you thrive in - everyone works differently! If you find side conversations with coworkers too distracting, and you see that behavior happening in abundance, maybe consider if this work environment would set you up for success. Or, on the other hand, you could thrive better in a workplace that encourages socialization and teamwork. It’s up to your preference! One person's hindrance could be another’s motivation. 

 

4. Ask an Employee Their Opinion 

Try to take advantage of all opportunities. If you have the chance to speak to someone within the department you are looking to join - better yet, someone in the same role - ask them about their experiences. Discuss what they like about working there, and ask about the team dynamic. With some larger companies, the issues on the ground floor aren’t always known by higher ups, and can cause misalignment in the understanding of the team’s collaboration. As always, if you have a question you should try to get the answers from those closest to the issue. You never know, they might tell you new, exciting information too! 

 

5. Gauge the Pace of the Process 

One of the biggest red flags in the interview process is speed. If you are rushed through from interview to offer, odds are the company could just be looking for a warm body to fill the role. While flattering, speed can signify high turnover and deeper issues within the position. Be wary of processes that feel forced. 

On the flip side, interview processes that drag on for weeks could signify complications in corporate structure. This usually means that there is quite a bit of red tape within the company, and that there may be too many voices at the table concerning things like hiring. Of course, different types of roles can have different types of interview processes. If the role is especially technical, for instance, there might be more rounds to cover knowledge and testing. It’s one thing to be thorough, but know the difference. 

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Toxic work environments aren’t a hiring manager’s favorite topic to cover during an interview - but are quickly discovered by those who accept the position without doing their due diligence. Jobvite found that over 32% of new hires who quit within the first 90 days cite a toxic company culture as a reason for leaving. Don’t make the mistake of accepting a job offer without diving into company culture first. Listen to your gut, and pay attention to what’s not being said through these preliminary stages to avoid landing yourself in a less than ideal work culture. 

How to Deliver a Better Performance Review

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Performance reviews are a discussion on what both the employee and manager can improve on, and how to create an action plan to accomplish those goals. While employers have traditionally given reviews annually, many companies are changing the format to allow for feedback on a more regular basis. The modern performance review is an optimal time to visit long-term goals and create an action plan to meet them.

Tips for giving effective performance reviews:

Set employee expectations.

Give the employee an agenda and an idea of what to expect so they do not feel nervous. Employers can provide an outline or topics ahead of time to allow the employee more time to think about detailed responses to questions.

Every review should include an action plan for the future. Agree on a set of goals with the employee, and use it as a roadmap for their performance. That way, they know what metrics the manager expects from them, and the manager has an agreed-upon guide for the employee’s future performance.

 

Pick a good date.

Performance review - calendarGive plenty of warning. Never surprise someone with a performance review. Preferably set them at regular intervals through the year so that employees know when they are coming up.

Avoid scheduling reviews during busy project deadlines.

 

Give them often, and on time.

Frequent feedback helps the employer to resolve problems and improve morale on a regular basis, before they become serious. A brief weekly or monthly meeting keeps communication open, is better for employee morale, and reduces the pressure for annual reviews.

For formal performance evaluation, consider giving employee reviews each quarter, rather than on an annual basis. Employees (especially millennials, according to a study by PwC) want to know how they are doing =in real-time, not just once a year.

Give reviews in a timely manner. Once a review is scheduled, honor the commitment and do not reschedule or cancel it.

 

Keep it relaxed and brief.

Employees rely on their jobs for their livelihood. They have a lot at stake during a performance review. Even good performers are often very nervous before a review. Try to put them at ease with a relaxed tone. Start positive, get right to the point, and end on a positive note, even when the review covers uncomfortable topics.

Set an appropriate amount of time for the review and stick to it. Reviews should not last multiple hours. If the discussion gets thorny, set a follow-up meeting to allow both parties to regroup.

 

Encourage honest feedback.

Just as employees should not take criticism personally during a review, managers should also be open to hearing where they can improve. Aim to prompt honest dialogue about how the role can improve. When employees are unhappy or feel suffocated, everyone hurts. Productivity drops, and dissatisfied employees may leave in frustration.Performance review - employee review

Avoid simplistic yes/no questions such as “Are you happy?” or, “Is the project going well?”  Why? Because smart employees will often say what they think employers want to hear, in order to protect themselves and avoid a difficult conversation. A better approach is to ask open-ended questions that encourage the employee to share their perspective.

Open-ended questions to ask:

“What are your goals for (the year, a project, their team, etc.)?”
“What can we do to help you with your project?”
“What do you see as our strengths, and what can we improve?”
“What is the one thing we can change to make your job better?”

 

Anticipate emotional reactions.

Employees can react strongly to changes in salary, benefits, rank, and responsibility—both positively and negatively. When possible, allow the employee time to process their emotions privately. Additionally, it is important to be totally clear. Do not be vague, and do no sugarcoat. For any positive or negative change, the employee will have immediate questions about the logistical details. Be ready to answer.

Do not cave in to emotional pressure during the review. An employee may say things they do not mean in response to an unexpected change. It is important to stay on track and not change course based on an employee’s reaction.

 

Performance review - employee feedback

Document the conversation.

It may not be necessary to document regular informal feedback meetings, but formal reviews should be documented. Give the employee a copy of the agenda ahead of time to prepare, and give them the notes for the completed review. Revisit this same document at the next review to track progress.

 

Performance reviews are a critical tool for employers who want healthy and results-focused relationships with their employees. Instead of an annual stressful event, make it a continuous process to reduce tension and address problems as they arise, instead of once a year.