‘The Octo-Hire': 3 Ways To Avoid The Rising, Harmful Career Trend
The rise of "the octo-hire" is trending in the workplace when companies employ one person to be ... More responsible for eight or more tasks that they can't possibly perform.
I recently wrote a story on karoshi for Forbes.com, describing how chronic work overload can end your career and lead to your mental and physical health demise. Burnout is spiking, draining productivity within the American workforce. While all this is happening, Glassdoor has identified an unhealthy trend that it calls 'the octo-hire'--the overextended, over-stressed employee, juggling the workload of eight roles with limited time, energy and resources that inevitably lead to burnout.
Sometimes recruiters paint a rosy, unrealistic picture of a position for job seekers. Many of these vulnerable candidates are new graduates eager to land a good job. And they are at risk of becoming an octo-hire--overstretched workers, juggling multiple roles, trying to balance more responsibilities than they can possibly wrap their heads around.
Octo-hires often get inducted into a position when a company catfishes them, refusing to disclose the full responsibilities of the role. Unbeknownst to the unsuspecting new employee, they end up overloaded and overworked, wearing the hats of multiple people.
When they bite the catfish hook, octo-hires often experience 'Shift shock'--the frustration of realizing that the new job role is far beyond the scope of what an employer outlined in the job description, usually the result of a misleading or poorly designed hiring process. A Muse Shift Shock Survey found that 72% of respondents say they've experienced 'shift shock.'
Josh Millet, founder and CEO of Criteria believes one reason for the shock shift trend is that graduates struggle to obtain roles in the current job market that match their course of study. And they land jobs in which they're unlikely to use their college degrees. According to Millet, 'Candidates that can't find jobs they want, paired with employers struggling to find adequate talent, leads to a market heavy with dissatisfaction." To avoid this, he adds that if companies invest more into their hiring processes, they are more likely to find candidates with skills that match the roles they're looking to fill.
Meanwhile, the recruitment of octo-hires is contributing to the rise in burnout. Glassdoor notes that mentions of burnout in Glassdoor employee reviews have spiked 32%, the highest levels in a decade, making it seem like octo-hires are the 'new normal.' Glassdoor offers three examples to help you spot an octo-hire wearing the hats of three or four employees:
Job salary can make or break your job search. Not knowing a salary range limits your ability to fully understand the role. And if a company is vague or avoids disclosing the pay range, it could be a red flag. An analysis by Resume.io found that of 20,477 job advertisements, only 39% (8,031) disclose their salary, which leaves employees wondering.
The report concludes that HR professionals, economists, orthodontists and pilots also keep candidates guessing, with less than one in four ads disclosing pay. A notable 78% of job seekers say they're less likely to apply if salary isn't shown, meaning pay secrecy (which could lead to octo-hiring) could be shrinking talent pools and widening pay gaps.
Simon Bocca, founder and CEO of PayCaptain, suggests that you ask directly and early in the process about salary. He cautions that it's a fair question, and if there's a refusal or hesitation, don't bite the hook. Bocca also points out that you can network with peers or informal groups that share salary information to help each other navigate what he calls 'these opaque systems.'
But to mitigate the problem before you get inducted, think ahead. Do your own research about the roles and companies you're considering before making a commitment. Check out the company's website, Glassdoor or LinkedIn page as resources where you can obtain information on their values, goals and how long employees have chosen to stay with the company.
Glassdoor suggests that you ask if the job description contains a list of unreasonable responsibilities, combination of job titles or terms like 'wearing multiple hats' or 'team player' and warning you to watch for sudden departures of numerous employees after you're hired.
During the job interview be assertive. Hiring managers are impressed when candidates set a clear understanding from the start by voicing what they're looking for in a position. Be sure to ask specific questions regarding the role, salary and general job expectations throughout the hiring process.
If you do all these things and still miss the subtle cues and have shift shock over discovering you're an octo-hire, your first impulse might be to immediately jump ship and end up job hopping. Although one study revealed 80% of the respondents believe it's acceptable to leave a new job before six months if it doesn't live up to expectations, don't be too quick to bail right away. Glassdoor suggests that you take several actions before throwing in the towel:
1. Try to negotiate a new title and/or a raise. But first, find out if your new responsibilities are permanent and what prompted them.
2. Set reasonable expectations up front for your redefined role to help you avoid burnout later.
3. Keep a paper trail of any expectations and new assignments you've discussed with your manager, plus any changes to your compensation, benefits or title to build your case.
Burnout is described as the silent epidemic, and it's both a people killer and a career killer. Burnout out comes from unmanaged stress, overloading yourself with too many hours of working or assuming too many roles that pull you in too many directions. Once you have burnout, taking time off, slowing down or working fewer hours won't remedy the condition.
If you're dealing with the octo-hire issue, your best recourse is to take preemptive action before you hit the wall. If you're a recent graduate or a new hire, put your self-care at the top of the list. Avoid falling into the trap of the octo-hire, and commit to a job that doesn't require you to sacrifice your mental and physical health. Overloading yourself with too many roles and overworking too many hours is not a badge of honor, and burnout isn't a prerequisite to career success.
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