Stress can affect the office or workplace, even when it is virtual, as well as influence relationships with co-workers, subordinates, clients and contacts. Something as far-reaching and serious as Covid-19 has raised the stakes to new levels. So now is the time to consider the seriousness of your role in keeping things positive. I like to say, be the adult in the room! As recruiters, you have an influence on both clients and candidates. They need you to help reflect what can be, rather than fear and worry.
Make some commitments to yourself and perhaps then you can ask others to join you in this effort.
Try to build, rather than shoot down, ideas
Try a “yes and”…or a “yes but” rather than a no. Make sure you ask people who have ideas you would normally attempt to shoot down, to explain their vision. Ask them to model it or or give it a go and report back. Any positive response to support progress should be welcome. As recruiters, you may need to help worried clients or candidates see how others are handling the challenges. Clients can go slow at recruiting talent versus stopping the process, recruiters can coach candidates to say, “Yes, I will interview via a remote but I cannot make a commitment,” to move to a new location until more is known.
Acknowledge mistakes
We all make mistakes, we are not perfect. In fact, maybe now is the best time to share mistakes and learn from them. People will gain faith and be more willing to take risk if we are looking at mistakes as a part of being successful and engaged. Perfection has a cost…avoid making those around you perfectionists…the cost is too high. Help clients learn new skills for interviewing. Do trial video interviews with candidates.
Acknowledge Reality
Smart people know the score. Be open, be realistic, and do not hide from the reality. If your business is untouched by this Covid-19 pandemic, you are truly unique. Talk to the staff and your team about what the challenges are on cash flow, employment, client relationships, etc. They need to know and are likely to have ideas that will support a better outcome if you let them play. Treat them as adults and be adult about the challenges the business faces. Ask clients to be real. You do not want them shading the truth to make you or a candidate feel better, just get it on the table for folks to deal with.
Speak up
No one can read minds. We need to be adults and converse about the good stuff and the bad stuff. If you are a leader, encourage others to join in the discussion and contribute ideas and feelings.
A team, a relationship, a supply chain is only as strong as its weakest link, so give others a boost up rather than a knock down. Be an adult.
Good article