“Just ”existing” comes with a lot of pressure
Everyone, do you have any memories from when you were new on the job?
I had one colleague in my department who started at the same time as me. We both graduated from college in our senior year and entered the architecture industry. At first glance, I seemed like the type who would take my work seriously, while the other guy was the mischievous type.
At first glance, I seemed to have the upper hand, but when it came to how we actually performed our jobs, he had excellent communication skills and carried himself like a true site supervisor. On the other hand, I was the type who steadily built up my knowledge and approached things logically. Even so, I think we both did a decent job.
When I was assigned to the field, I was nervous every day because I didn’t know what kind of senior colleagues I’d be working with or what the work environment would be like. I clearly remember that for the first two or three months, I went about my work while constantly worrying, “Is it really okay to keep going like this?” and I was completely exhausted every day from the tension and stress.
When stepping into a new environment, people always need a certain amount of courage. This is especially true when entering a specialized field among professionals with deep expertise—simply being there can be a source of immense pressure.
Naturally, even if you’re flustered and don’t know what to do, things on the job just keep moving along as usual. I think new employees often feel like they’re the only ones left behind, which can be extremely stressful.
"I'm sorry, but could you come in on Saturday?"
As you know, it is said that working too much reduces productivity. As overtime increases, work efficiency declines; this is due to fatigue resulting from prolonged periods of concentrated work and sustained mental effort.
As I’ve been saying, just being in the workplace takes a toll on new employees—even if they leave work earlier than their senior colleagues, and even if they’re younger and more energetic than them. The way new employees experience things is completely different from how you do.
In that situation, what would happen if, for example, you asked a first-year student, “I’m sorry to ask this, but could you come in on Saturday?”
The strain is immeasurable, and it can be quite discouraging. That’s precisely why it’s important for experienced colleagues and supervisors to make sure new hires can leave work early and to ensure they take mandatory breaks.
That said, even if you simply tell a new hire, “It’s okay to take a break,” they may not even know the rules for taking breaks. Not knowing how to spend their time, they may end up not being able to relax at all. A more experienced employee might feel free to play games or check their phone, but a new hire isn’t in a position to make that call. Please try to understand this.
Understand that by conveying a specific message—such as “During this time, it’s okay to do XX or △△”—children will finally feel secure enough to rest. Precisely because this is the beginning, it’s important to support them so they can act with confidence, knowing what they can and cannot do.
New employees are more exhausted than they realize.
Let me say this again: it takes time to get used to a new environment. I believe it’s the role of senior colleagues and supervisors to do their best to help shorten that adjustment period as much as possible. After all, that’s when new employees can finally start to show what they’re capable of.
And in the future, when they become seniors and have juniors of their own, they, too, will learn to show the same kind of consideration.
Some people might say I’m being overprotective. But that would lead to a decline in performance, wouldn’t it? For both of us. Being able to read the other person’s feelings and act accordingly is what it means to be a professional. If you do that for a new hire, I’m sure they’ll learn from it. …Though I can’t say for sure.
Let’s talk about this again. New employees get more exhausted than you might think. That exhaustion leads to stress, which in turn causes them to worry about unnecessary things. As a result, this creates an environment where it’s difficult for them to settle in.
First, we’ll help you get up to speed quickly. Then, we’ll help you reach your full potential. That’s where it all begins. After all, wouldn’t that be more beneficial for all of you?
