Little Wins at Work

I don’t know if anyone listens to Radio 2 on a Saturday morning with Claudia Winkleman… most Saturdays I am sat in the car waiting for the kids to finish some sport or music club and regularly hear her little wins feature, where a celebrity goes up against a member of the public to compare little wins and the listeners call in to vote.

In recruitment, especially permanent recruitment, there are huge highs and lows. A candidate accepting your offer can put you in a good mood for a week, whereas an offer turned down (or worse still a candidate who pulls out after accepting) can destroy you, even if you’re expecting it. And it doesn’t get any easier just because we we’ve been doing this for 25 years!

Luckily for us at Fry & Brown, lawyers tend to be pretty reliable – they do their research, are honest and stick to their decisions. This together with our thoroughly communicative process means we don’t experience too many real lows. But another way of combatting the downs is to celebrate the little wins which is something that Jane and I regularly practice and share.

Little wins are small, everyday achievements that could go unnoticed, but when noticed can make you smile and keep you going. Some examples for us are –

• A good call with someone where you really build a rapport.
• Someone referring a colleague to Fry & Brown.
• A kind review.
• Someone using the additional interview preparation we provide.
• Finding the perfect person for a difficult to fill role.
• When someone you admire in the industry wants to meet.
• Someone saying thanks, months or years after you place them.

Little wins act as stepping stones during challenging times and focussing on them, and letting the bigger stuff take care of itself, means we can stay level-headed and not let the highs and lows affect our performance. This enables us to remain consistent. That is not to say that we don’t get incredibly excited when we land someone their perfect role!

Jane and I enjoy the little wins along the way, and hopefully this shows and makes a difference to the candidate and client experience. We’re pleased to spend the time chatting to you and getting to know what is important to you as well as your pain points. We love advising and being consultative, we love building relationships and getting your feedback.

Focusing solely on major achievements can be overwhelming and demotivating in recruitment. Celebrating little wins provides a balance between our ambitious aspirations and realistic progress, making the journey to success more enjoyable whilst providing a stress free and personable experience for our industry network.

What will give you a smile at work today?

Nov 2023