A successful business is built on a skilled team, but locating these talented individuals can be a real challenge – not only is the company competing with rival organisations that are also on the lookout for top talent, but even when the candidate gets through the door, there’s no guarantee that they will integrate with the company culture. Even the most capable employee will fail to flourish if they don’t fit in.
The search goes on
A company’s culture plays a large role in a candidate’s ability to succeed in the business. If the environment does not match the attitudes and expectations of the employee, they will struggle to fulfil their potential. Even if the chosen candidate ends up proving successful in their role, they’re likely to cause friction in the business and demotivate others if they can’t get on with the team. Combined with the added challenge of employees moving jobs more than ever before, this can spell trouble for businesses focused on productivity and growth.
A two-way street
This doesn’t mean to say that companies need to overhaul their offering and culture to suit candidates. It’s actually about finding the right employee that will fit neatly into the established norms of the business and one who is capable of adapting as the company grows. To do this, companies need to evaluate their organisation, understand its values and identify what traits are present in the most successful members of the business. While this can be a complex process, many businesses can begin to develop a deeper understanding of its employees through insights found in assessments, surveys and performance reviews.
From there, it’s a case of reviewing potential candidates and seeing if they share complementary traits. If their motivators, personality and attitudes match those of current staff – and are aligned to the overall values and mission of the company – they’ll likely integrate well with the team, boost creativity and increase productivity in the business. As a result, staff will remain loyal and, most importantly, achieve their potential.
~Business Game Changer Special Promotion~
Augmenting the solution
But getting this right is far from simple. The sheer amount of insight needed to create a reliable and consistent benchmark for future candidates is more than any one person can be expected to process. Indeed, even an entire HR department would struggle to provide anything but surface level analysis of the business and its candidates.
Organisations can improve this process by utilising technology to gain a deeper understanding of the factors that influence staff success. This will allow a faster and more efficient review of the qualities in staff, as well as the ability to identify motivators and personality types that are not obvious at first glance.
But to get the best results, and develop longstanding success with new recruits, businesses need to gather findings from every member of staff, creating a clear baseline from which to measure candidates. Once this is established, the business will not only be able to anticipate which recruits are likely to thrive in the business, but also recognise the specific qualities that define success in individual teams, departments or roles. Going a step further, companies can then look to identify which areas of the business need improvement and establish a more effective hiring process as a result.
Undoubtedly, the recruitment challenge is only set to continue. Candidates are looking for a ‘perfect fit’ of a business and there are numerous factors that will influence their decision. However, instead of constantly changing the business offering, organisations should look at what their business stands for and define inbound candidates along those guidelines.
By Nick Shaw, MD of 10x Psychology
About the author
A recognised talent management expert, Nick brings a unique blend of technical expertise and commercial insight to his role as Managing Director.
In his role, Nick ensures that 10x Psychology solutions stay ahead of market needs, and that our resources are optimised to ensure the delivery of successful client outcomes. He also acts as a project sponsor for key global solutions, working in partnership with clients and internal teams to define key success metrics and measure the impact of HR interventions.
Before joining 10x, Nick held a number of senior leadership positions at SHL and led commercial, operational and consulting teams globally – giving him valuable insight into diverse sectors and geographies. In his last role at SHL, Nick led the UK&I business, and was also a member of the SHL Senior Management Team.
Nick has worked with boards and senior HR teams around the globe to implement world-class talent management processes, applying his expertise as an occupational psychologist to ensure alignment of talent strategies with commercial need. An industry speaker and thought leader, he has contributed to numerous press articles and presented at conferences in the UK, US and the Middle East.
