Are you wearing 'BUSY' as a badge of honor?

When we discuss employer branding and candidate experience-we aren’t talking enough about time, and the role it plays in the process.  Hiring requires time. Building relationships requires time. Nurturing a brand requires time. Maintaining a reputation requires time. Today’s candidates are discerning. They have choices. They expect to be courted and impressed. To impress them, you need time. Candidates want to learn more about you. And, they can’t do that if you are always ‘too busy’ for them.

As New Yorkers, I see we are particularly guilty of talking about being ‘too busy’ as some sort of a status symbol. People seem to wear their busyness as a badge of honor.

Almost daily, I hear the following:

“We are swamped…”

“I have no time for…”

“We are just entirely too busy…”

“There is too much on our plate…”

“I have been working 12 hour days…”

“I haven’t had time to come up for air…”

As a Recruitment Specialist, I am particularly concerned about these comments. Why?

• Candidates will see this busyness as a massive red flag. Two of the most common reasons for leaving I hear from HR talent: a desire for more flexibility/focus on work-life integration, and a desire to join a place that values innovation/creativity. If they hear/see that a manager is ‘swamped’ or ‘overwhelmed’ they view it as a red flag. What does that say about the culture? HR teams must lead from the front. If HR is too busy/stressed, how does this reflect upon the rest of the firm? Creativity requires free time to think, play, create, talk, meet….if you’re too busy, candidates wonder how innovative you really are.
• Talking incessantly about how ‘busy’ you are can be perceived as dismissive of the other person/inconsiderate of their time. Everyone is busy and is managing multiple parts of their lives at once. This concept of “I am busier than you” is just plain disrespectful. Candidates won’t buy it--they’re busy, too. This is an issue of consideration. Stop ‘bragging’ about how busy you are. Instead, be more empathetic towards others and recognize everyone deserves time, attention, and consideration in business.

I recently participated in a Twitter Chat hosted by the great NYC SHRM chapter, with an emphasis on work-life balance/integration. It became clear to me that most are not succeeding in this space. Many desire to be more balanced with work-life integration, but a ton of ‘guilt’ was expressed about how to actually achieve it.

Are we are running around frantically and not doing anything about it? It’s time to make some changes!

Here were some common concerns shared during this Twitter Chat about struggling to find balance (and you’ll find my comments beside each):

“I feel guilty for taking my PTO days” Overcome this: someone has to inspire others. Let it be you! You earned those days off, so take them. You will be a better HR professional and person in life if you seek the balance you so deserve. Your work will get done. You will get better at delegating, prioritizing, and efficiency. Enjoy our days off. When you get back from a day off, share something positive from your time off. Inspire others to do the same.

“What will my team think if I leave 30 minutes early to go to the gym?” Inspire them. Maybe they have a yoga class they want to go to in the morning, or have a softball league they love on Tuesday nights. Create a culture where this is encouraged. The work will get done, and your employees will feel more productive/relaxed/engaged at work. You don’t have to be the exception by carving out time for exercise/balance; you just have to lead from the front!

“I still plug-in even when I’m on vacation” Well, what’s the good in this? If you can’t fully unwind, are you really away? Learn to delegate! Cover for each other, it creates a stronger team environment/accountability and your teammates will take you up on the help when they take their days off! It benefits everyone.

“No one at this company leaves early” Be the first to embrace a culture of flexibility. Not everyone wants to leave early, so customize for each employee. Some employees are morning-people and want to be in an hour early. Some want to leave early. Some want to work from home one day a week. Consider creating a culture where wishes are granted to encourage employees to have balance in their lives. Balance improves our overall health. Happier employees are more productive.

--------

The next time you are about to say “Ugh, I’m swamped…” stop and start with something positive instead.

The next time you feel guilty about taking a day off, stop and remember you are inspiring others around you to the same.

The next time you are about to share how 'crazy busy you are' to your Recruitment Partner/a candidate, stop and remember how that may negatively impact your employer brand.

--------

I look forward to your thoughts on this topic. Please leave your comments below! Check out East Side Staffing on Instagram and Twitter @EastSideStaff