Feeling job stuck at any level is horrifying, moreso if you are at the helm and your decision has a direct impact on the company. Deebashree Mohanty speaks with experts to know what are the common problems at the top and how a new employee deals with this tricky situation
If you have recently joined a firm as a top brass, responsibilities multiply and so do stress and problems. The simplest way out is to think logically and approach a given problem with a cool mind. Use your general managerial skills to good effect when you are faced with problems at the top,” Shashank Dubey, a business coach from Bangalore, says. Dubey tells you that most new top-level employees in any organisation face the storm-in-a-tea-cup situation in their daily dealings.
So, what are the typical problems and why does an employee face them in the first place. “The problems could be varied— client related, person specific and even because of a certain profile. Sometimes a decision may come back to haunt you too,” Dubey explains.
He adds that there are many reasons why a person feels the pressure in his new role and new organisation but the answer is not always to make a jump. “If you realise after a few days of signing the contract that you are not cut out for this job, your first option is to quit. But if you have decided to give your job another shot, then it makes sense to re-analyse things and look at the positives that this present job has to offer,” Meena Rajpura, a career counsellor based in Delhi, tells you.
There are umpteen reasons why an experienced person feels at sea when he joins a new organisation but work culture and ambience in the new set-up is the top issue.
CUlTURAl DISPARITIES
According to Anupam Jauhari, vice president Human Resources of Infogain, new hires need to be able to integrate into a team and work well in the company environment, otherwise the HR will have to start the talent acquisition process all over again. “Finding workers who fit the company culture is the business’s top recruiting challenge. The hiring manager should ensure they describe the company culture as best as they can in job descriptions. Displaying the company’s mission and aspects of its internal environment can help job seekers understand the organisation better, which can ensure only those candidates who may fit well will apply. This will help in giving the prospective candidate, a true glimpse of the company they are going to join. It will also minimise the risk of early attrition,” Jauhari says.
How much ever experienced you may be, when you join a new set-up its culture has an impact on the way you look at things.
WORK STYlE ISSUES
Should you be micro managingIJ Or it is okay for you to leave it to the team entirelyIJ “When you are at the helm of affairs and your decision has a direct impact on the company, you will have to adjust your work style accordingly. It makes sense to deep dive for a few months to understand the ground realities in the new set-up but after that short period, you must have a sound training programme in place. I strongly believe in the shortest fire philosophy. The mark of a good employee is not when he wants to make himself indispensable but when his department functions without any hiccups when he is not around,” Aditya Berlia, Member Management Board, Apeejay Stya and Svran group, says.
GROWTH SCOPE
Many a times when a person accepts a position in a new firm, he/she cannot see through the flip side. It strikes you only after a few days that the profile is not promising enough. It doesn’t provide any development opportunity. “This is a tricky situation. After a certain level, it becomes necessary for the person to grow out of his functional area and develop horizontally. But if that is not happening in the present job, then you have to look at ways to achieve that growth. One option is to indulge in online tutorials or classes. The other way is to take-on projects of the parallel departments just to understand how it works,” Berlia says.
Although it may not be possible for one to change his functional profile to another, it is best to start with small assignments.
GET EXPECTATIONS RIGHT
In a new setting, you take on unbelievable tasks and wish to complete them in no time. But is that a safe attitudeIJ Is it okay to set high expectations from the very startIJ Career counsellors and coaches tell you it is not because you are setting a benchmark which you may or may not always keep. “Set realistic goals after carefully analysing your team’s strength and weakness. Introduce new training programmes and systems which will help your team to develop. And let your superiors know what it is that you are aiming for,” Jauhari states. He tells you that most top employees falter because they put a lot of unnecessary pressure on themselves.
ASK YOURSElF
There are times when the employee is confused as to what to do with a profile he has landed up with. In such a scenario, it is advisable to analyse what he/ or she wants from the job.
“It is very important to know what you want from a certain profile and organisation. If you are treating it as a stepping stone to something better, then hang around till that plumb opportunity presents itself. Then make a smooth move. But if you are considering to change your functional area and test yourself in a profile, then utilise this present job to the optimum.
“Network with all kinds of people from within the organisation and outside of it too. Take on key responsibilities from other departments and make sure to complete them. Deep dive into the roots of the organisation to know more about the culture of the new set up you have just joined. If you want to make it work, there are many ways of ensuring that,” Rajpura advises.
If the employee still feels stuck in the wrong job, another way out is to take the entrepreneur route. “Do some shopping for the right venture and take that plunge,” Berlia says in conclusion.