It has happened to all of us at least once, whether we want to admit it or not… We have all fallen for the idea that the grass is always greener on the other side. Some might be changing classes, thinking the other one was better, and finding it was the same curriculum, just a different teacher.
Some other time, you could have thought you should have ordered what your brother ordered at that restaurant because your dessert didn’t fulfill your expectations. And you don’t even have to feel poorly about your current situation to get excited about something new.
Just as elementary school kids get excited about their new school supplies, we get excited about new phones, new cities, new experiences… and jobs are no exception. However, there is something tricky about that since these expectations and all this excitement can be counterproductive.
Don’t get me wrong—being happy and motivated to start a new job is a great feeling and harmless, but we must check if our expectations are well-based or misled… Have you ever felt tremendous excitement about starting a new job, only to be disappointed at the end of the first week? This phenomenon was labeled “Shift Shock” by Kathryn Minshew, co-founder and CEO of The Muse.
This disappointment can be a little more complex than one might think. If we try to define shift shock, we might find an experience that sums it up around us. Whether you experienced it firsthand or someone close to you did, this phenomenon is closer than we know.
Every company has had an employee who was perfect for the position but didn’t last as long as they could. But what is causing this issue? Is it a problem of employee retention, recruitment, or picking the wrong job?
It is safe to say that the primary cause of shift shock is unfulfilled expectations. These could be due to misleading information about the job or company or not seeking enough information to build a well-based idea of what the job would be like.
Sometimes, an unclear idea of what it looks like to have that role in the company can open the space for our filling gaps brains to complete roles as they hope them to be rather than as they are.
We ask ourselves, is there anything that can be done to prevent this problem in the new era? Or are we doomed to go from one unfulfilling job to another unfulfilling job every so often?
When it comes to finding a solution, they will all work out depending on who is trying to solve the issue. Companies should attend to it to retain their talent and create qualified teams that are comfortable with their workplaces and add to their values.
Also, people looking for a job might want to keep it cool during the interview process and ask all the questions they have so they won’t have to go through another interview six months later.
So, let us help you avoid that, whether you are the company or the employee.
What Can The Company Do To Prevent It?
Sometimes, we need to sell the job position, market it to attract good talent and find the best fit for it as soon as possible. And that is okay. The way we do it is the important part here.
We are not only inviting new talent to a department but also making them part of the company. We want that working relationship to work for everyone’s best interest. So, it is imperative that the new talent knows what we expect of them and for us to know what they expect from us.
So we can start by showing what a day on the job looks like. When you take an aspirant to the job and show them what a day looks like, they can adapt their expectations to the job’s reality. Sometimes, the job description on the website is not enough; people want to see what it implies to be a part of the company.
If the schedule is strict, how much time do they have for lunch or breaks, what do the main tasks look like for the aspirated position, and so on? Being upfront with what is expected from them regarding working hours and responsibilities is crucial during the first part of the process.
Other factors relating to the role might need to be clear with the candidates. Things like salary, company policies, and more need to be talked about. Doing this will increase the chances that they stay on the job; no one wants to be taken by surprise with these matters. When everything is on the table regarding expectations, you are setting them up to succeed.
Knowing what we are required to do, not having to guess or be surprised by emerging responsibilities, helps people thrive. Being aware is the best way to fulfill the expectations and go beyond. That way, they have a starting point, a baseline for quality, and somewhere to innovate and improve the processes and more.
A huge factor that can let people down when starting a new job is the company’s culture and working environment. So, we must ensure they understand our values and how they are represented in daily activities and employees’ behavior.
If teamwork is a core value, how do we encourage that value in each individual and each team? Take the time to get to know the candidate’s set of values and how they align with the company. Nowadays, a significant fraction of candidates could be willing to leave behind a seemingly perfect job opportunity if they weren’t sure that the company’s culture aligned with them.
So, we need to consider this too. How does this candidate match the company’s culture and could even add to it or improve aspects of it?
Culture needs to be a topic during the early stages of the job or even during the interview and hiring process. We want new talent to get to know the company’s reality and adapt to its culture seamlessly, which is when a good onboarding process can come in handy.
If we do our part and make all the expectations clear and real, the only thing left to do is help them become part of the culture, a member of the team, and a member of the company from day one.
What Can You Do As Someone Looking For A Job?
Expectations, good or bad, are unavoidable. We always create an idea in our minds before the experience. So, a helpful thing would be to stay grounded. Try not to get caught up in the idea of it and get into its reality as much as you can.
Be honest with yourself. Is it a good fit for you? Does it seem like you can grow professionally there? Taking care of those details might not be an infallible formula for avoiding shift shock, but it is a good way to prevent it.
Don’t be afraid to ask all the questions you need to ask. Remember that you are not the only one evaluated for the position during the interview process. You are considering the company to see if they are a place where you can invest your talent and expertise.
Having all the information clear will help you create a reality-based image of what it would be like to be there and evaluate how much it could work for you. Being well-informed can help you make a sound choice.
But what happens if you have already asked all the questions, been very informed, and kept yourself grounded, but you get a new job, and it is not what you expected?
If, after all, it seems like it doesn’t work, there are a few things that could help a little. First, slow down, and don’t jump to the conclusion that it was a poor choice or that feeling of regret about why I got into this. Give yourself the time to check within. How are you feeling? Is it the place? The culture? Something about the role? And more importantly, is it salvageable? Sometimes, this feeling can be caused by a misunderstanding.
Perhaps the job was oversold, or there seem to be more responsibilities than described in the hiring process. Now, you can determine if this can be corrected or if it’s bearable compared with the benefits.
Another could be taking a minute to reevaluate your goals and think about what you want and how this can help you get closer. Maybe that is the place to be for a determined period of growth. But maybe it is not. It’s okay if it is not a match; that can happen to anyone.
We can evaluate all we want and feel like we are in the perfect place on paper, and when we get there, it is not quite right for us. Sometimes we don’t need to fight it, know to accept when to move on.
The world faces new daily challenges, economic recessions, health crises, and more… and all those impact our lives in ways we don’t even imagine. New phenomena like shift shock appear as employee retention becomes increasingly difficult.
Yes, we all try to prevent this from happening to us or our companies. We play our part and try to be transparent with new candidates. We try to add people who help us grow and that we help develop, too… and the best way to do so is to be honest and careful with our people.
See more articles by Laura Navarro.
