Finding the ideal employee can be a challenge especially during these trying and highly uncertain times. Hiring costs money, and not using good judgement when hiring can negatively impact your workplace, and waste valuable company time – including the money. The benefits of hiring right, on the other hand, can boost employee productivity, build a positive employee-employer connection, enhance workplace morale, transform work, encourage positive future-focused planning, and help achieve difficult objectives. Additionally, it guarantees that the time and money spent by current employees developing a relationship with the new hire is worth it.
Before choosing someone for a position, it is important to take into account their aptitude and attitude.
Importance of hiring for Attitude
It can be tempting to base your hiring decisions on a candidate’s technical skills alone. Statistics suggest that a preferable approach would be to value soft skills over technical knowledge. When hiring new employees, recruiters should prioritise attitude above capabilities to discover professionals whose mindsets not only align with the company’s culture but also foster organisational success.
The adage “Hire for attitude, train for competence” is most frequently linked to this concept and was originally attributed to Herb Kelleher, one of the co-founders of US-based, Southwest Airlines. In a word, it suggests that since these kinds of personality attributes cannot be taught, employers should seek applicants that exhibit qualities like zeal, integrity, humility, and passion.
Companies that hire people with a positive outlook increase the effectiveness of their communications, foster stronger teamwork and experience quicker growth.
According to LeadershipIQ statistics, 89% of unsuccessful employees are usually fired for reasons related to employee attitude. On the other hand, only 11% of hiring mistakes result in termination because of technical incompetence. It goes to show that having a bad attitude can negatively affect the working environment in your company and demotivate other employees from contributing.
Impacts of a Negative Attitude
Businesses inevitably encounter one or two employees that have a bad attitude towards their jobs or the business as a whole. Negative attitudes in employees frequently undermine the authority of management, affect decisions made by coworkers, reduce productivity, and escalate conflict within the workplace. Though it may be easy to notice an employee with an attitude problem, it is difficult to spot a bad attitude before hiring. So before you make a new hire a permanent member of the team, assess their potential for cooperation and flexibility through team building activities.
Importance hiring for Aptitude
Having said all that about attitude, aptitude remains crucial when recruiting a new employee, and you must ensure that they possess the core skills necessary for success in your company. Consider what can be taught and what cannot; for example, while it is possible to learn how to operate a machine, intrinsic creativity may not be something that can be taught. Various kinds of aptitude tests are frequently used by organisations to determine whether a candidate is qualified for the position.
impacts of a poor aptitude
A lack of aptitude in the new hire can result in regular follow-ups, retraining, or even disciplinary action; and all of these things demand your involvement to make things right. These subpar performers can interfere with your schedule and prevent you from performing well. When you make the correct hires, performance distractions are eliminated, allowing you to concentrate on what matters.
Having skilled people on board helps foster a sense of accountability and responsibility for the company’s growth and overall success while reducing your need for hiring more employees.
Think about how better hiring practices, especially at entry-level roles, can result in better-staffed managerial positions in the future. Naturally, this all begins with the hiring process, which includes creating compelling job descriptions, selecting the appropriate questions for interviews, checking references, and more.
Protecting Your brand Image
Have you heard about a company that can’t seem to retain any staff? Most job applicants don’t want to even apply there. What people say about your business matters, regardless of whether your hiring problems are your fault or as a result of the competition within the wider industry.
Consider every poor hire as a public declaration that you are struggling to find qualified staff. Consider the considerable harm they can cause internally as well. Limit advertising that could negatively impact your reputation in public while investing in better job applicants.
Summing Up…
There can be multiple companies offering the same kind of services or products, but what distinguishes a company from the rest is its workforce. A company’s reputation is built by its employees. Every team member contributes significantly to the growth of a company; from the creators of the company, the compliance officers who make sure that every process is implemented as planned, the marketing team that promotes products to the public, and the managers who motivate their team to reach their maximum potential. While it may be a challenge to make perfect hiring choices every time, you can simplify the process of finding the right person by following the tips outlined above. Employing the right workforce will save you both time and resources while eventually advancing your corporate goals. And if are serious about the growth of your business, keep in mind that recruiting people with the proper aptitude and attitude can make all the difference.
Author: Alex Shvarts – CEO, FundKite
Photo credit: Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
