Getting The Work-Life Balance In Recruitment Right

A successful work-life balance in recruitment is not always the easiest for recruiters to achieve all the time. Due to the nature of the role and the industry, there is sometimes a need to work longer hours to make placements. Then, with tight deadlines and the desire to close deals, some recruiters naturally feel the pressure and struggle to manage balancing their work commitments and thirst to succeed with having time away from work to focus on themselves and their personal commitments.

Seeking an improved work-life balance can reduce stress and the potential for burnout, promoting a better sense of wellbeing and self-care. There are many things recruiters can do to ensure that they are still on top of their recruitment game without sacrificing their mental health and wellbeing.

What is a healthy work-life balance?

A healthy work-life balance will mean different things to different people. It’s not so much about splitting your time 50/50 between work and leisure but making sure you feel fulfilled and content in both areas of your life. It’s not about striving for the perfect schedule; look to achieve a realistic one. Some days, you might focus and have your mind more on work, while other days you might have time and energy to pursue your hobbies or spend time with your loved ones. Balance is achieved over time, not each day, and only you can decide what is best for you.

Tips for a better work-life balance in recruitment

Focus on personal achievements outside of work

“I try to have as many wins as possible before and after work. It makes me feel more in control of my day and life.” – Danielle Green, Delivery Consultant

During the recruitment process, there are some areas that are out of your control as a recruiter. For instance, even if everything goes well, a deal can still fall through at the last minute, which can be quite stressful and anxiety inducing. Therefore, it’s important to feel like you are making achievements in your personal life outside of work too. For example, when it seems that nothing is going your way, having hobbies or taking part in sports can make you feel better when a placement at work falls through.

Know when to completely disconnect

“Having a cut-off point from work is a good thing. It might not necessarily be 5:30pm but having a time where you can completely switch off afterwards is important.” – Grant Baker, Senior Account Manager

In recruitment, there’s always more you can do, more CVs to look through, candidates to contact, clients to discuss requirements with – the list goes on! Often, within recruitment, the more effort you put into the job, the more you get out of it. This can make some people feel like they can never turn off from work, which can lead to stress and burn out. However, rest and relaxation are crucial to your wellbeing. Always having a cut-off point from work in which you completely switch off afterwards can help you to achieve a better work-life balance.

Get out of the office

“Recruitment agencies are high paced environments with lots going on, making it easy to work through your lunch break. However, I find it helpful to make sure I use my lunch as a time for myself where I can go to the gym, get some food, or go on a walk and return to work refreshed!” – Rebecca Davis, Group Head of Marketing

Like in any other career, sometimes when there are lots of projects on the go, some people feel tempted to skip lunch or work from their desk in order to get ahead with tasks they’re trying to complete. However, making sure to get out during your lunch break and into the fresh air will work wonders for your wellbeing. Between changing your environment and relaxing your eyes, separating yourself from your desk for even just 10 minutes (although we’d encourage longer!) will help you to achieve a better work-life balance in recruitment.

Make life easier for yourself

“I always try to make life easier for myself with meal prepping or going to the gym before work. That way if things do get hectic, I don’t have to compromise on things that are important to me.” – Suzie Stone, Recruitment Consultant

Every now and then, you may need to work outside of your normal hours in order to speak with certain great candidates who cannot talk during their working hours to get a placement across the line. However, doing things like ensuring that you have healthy meals available and always making time to go to the gym can help to keep yourself healthy and happy. A work-life balance in recruitment is not always easily achievable but doing little things to prioritise your wellbeing during what time you have outside of work will help you significantly.

Practice self-care

“Don’t sacrifice your free time just to put the extra hours in every single day. There’s a time and a place for everything.” – Melinda Queck, Head of Talent

Self-care can sometimes sound like an indulgent act, but really it is just about looking after yourself. In fact, self-care can include basic things like making sure to exercise, moving your body daily, ensuring you have 3 proper meals every day or turning off your phone at night so you can sleep without interruptions. It doesn’t mean going to the spa every weekend or demanding feet rubs from your partner but simply ensuring you do take breaks and give yourself moments to relax outside of work to prioritise your mind and body.

Prioritise exercise

“When I’m at the gym, I can really switch off from work and zone out.” – Jack Mcmanus, Delivery Consultant

Exercise is well known to be positive for physical and mental health. Exercise can help to reduce stress and provide an outlet for frustrations you may feel in your job. It can also provide an opportunity to switch off from work and completely disconnect. Whether competing in team sports, or going to the gym with friends, exercise can also give you a support network of peers that you can talk to about your anxieties or frustrations.

Talk with your manager

“Speak up! There is no shame in verbalising how you are feeling. Your employer should have a vested interest in your happiness and should strive to encourage it in any way possible. A happy workforce results in increased productivity for a company.” – Melinda Queck, Head of Talent.

If you find that you are struggling to manage a work-life balance in recruitment, due to the stresses of work, the best thing to do is to talk to your manager. Recruitment can be a stressful job and sometimes when there are tight deadlines, candidates not returning your calls, or things going wrong multiple times that you are not in control of, it can really affect your stress and ability to relax outside of work.

Talking with your manager about what you are struggling with can help them understand where they can offer you some extra support or advice. Remember everyone’s been in your position trying to manage work stress. Your manager may be able to help you manage your workload and give advice on how to approach your tasks more efficiently.

If you are considering becoming a recruiter, check out our other blogs on what a career in recruitment looks like here. Furthermore, click here for our Join Us page where we list the benefits of working at VIQU IT and include our latest internal opportunities.