Surprised by ‘shift shock’? Here are some strategies

It is an uncomfortable feeling. After applications and rounds of interviews with various stakeholders, you have landed the job. But about six weeks into the new role, it becomes clear that the position is not what was advertised. Through no fault of your own, you are out of your depth and wondering if this business is the place for you.

This is a phenomenon known as shift shock, and a survey from The Muse suggests that 72 per cent of respondents have experienced it. 

Simone Mears, managing director of financial services recruitment firm Profusion Group, says shift shock is all about business culture. 

“Shift shock happens because the job and position description don’t align to reality,” Mears explains. “You have a position description, they talk to you about what the role is, but when you get [the role], you’re unable to deliver.”  

Mears says candidates are set up for failure when they are told a company wants to scale up or down, go offshore or insource, list or delist, or make an acquisition during the recruitment process — only to start work and realise there is no appetite for change or the timeline is years away.

“You go in as the CEO or a senior leader, but the board’s not aligned and there’s no agreement for you to make changes, or they don’t have the cultural willingness or desire to change,” Mears says.

How can employers avoid shift shock?

Employers can avoid this situation by being completely transparent, when recruiting, about where the business is at.

“It’s great to have plans — but you have to temper that by clearly communicating the challenges the business is working through during the hiring process,” Mears says. “Candidates who are scared off by that are not the right candidates.”

For example, recently, Mears was recruiting to fill a senior role in a business which is a potential mergers and acquisitions target.

It was possible the company was about to be sold under an offer it couldn’t refuse. The company was open with the candidate, conveying that they would not lose their job if the sale happened. Sharing such information was vital for the candidate to make an informed decision about the role.

“Some people are at a place in their life where they can live with that level of risk. Then, there are others who are not in a financial or professional situation where they can afford to do that,” says Mears. 

It is important for employers to be open with candidates about the organisation’s circumstances and challenges. If an organisation does not have a compelling product to take to market or if competitors are winning on price, “ask if the candidate is up for that challenge”, Mears suggests.

“The days of just selling the positives are long gone. 

“You hear the word authenticity all the time — that’s what candidates want. They want to know what’s really happening, because everyone wants to make an impact. You’re not scaring people off, what you’re doing is sharing information to get the right people for your business.”

It is also vital for employers to reflect on any role before advertising, so they can manage expectations and avoid shift shock for new hires, notes Nicole Gorton, director at recruitment specialists Robert Half Australia.

“The job ad is your door to unlocking the talent you need, so it needs to accurately reflect the position [a business is] hiring for.”

Red flags for candidates to consider

Candidates also have a responsibility to do due diligence on a position before accepting a role. 

Keep an eye out for vague job descriptions, inconsistencies in the interviewer’s descriptions compared to the job ad and any reluctance to provide details about daily tasks or team dynamics. 

“Any pressure to accept an offer without adequate time for consideration can signal potential mismatches,” Gorton says.

Candidates could ask for case studies and examples of other roles in the team that accurately reflect the work any new hire would be involved in. 

How employees can handle shift shock 

For most people, addressing shift shock is about developing shared expectations of a role, and that can happen over time, notes Stuart Martin, business director, national accounting and finance lead at Hays.

“I’ve been with Hays for nearly 12 years and have a lot of flexibility and autonomy. If I’m running 10 minutes late, I don’t need to message my boss. But if you start a new job, all of a sudden you have that feeling that you need to send an email and say the bus is running late or your parking spot has been taken or whatever it may be,” he says.

Over time, employees and employers develop a collective understanding of the smaller details of what the job entails and expectations around behaviour. 

When dealing with shift shock in the workplace, employees should start by documenting the discrepancies between the advertised role and their experience. 

“Once the differences are collated, schedule a direct and open conversation with a manager to clarify expectations and discuss potential adjustments,” Gorton says. 

“If the discrepancies cannot be resolved, then a new role may need to be sought.”