How To Hire Winning Performers

Research (formal and field) and real-world experiences verify the continuing ‘productivity and morale’ hemorrhaging that continues in organizations when it comes to their hiring practices. These statistics often range from a low of approximately 10% to a success rate of only 25% when it comes to hiring winning performers. So, what are the ‘three secrets’ that far too few know and follow when it comes to this controllable source of business success that could yield much more successful results?

The first ‘secret’, and most important, is making sure the job candidate fits with your culture. For instance, if your company’s success is highly impacted by "Teamwork", then hiring individuals with both a track record and negative attitude toward the importance of "Teamwork" is only asking for trouble. And, similarly, if your organization’s sustained success requires "Innovativeness," then hiring individuals that are motivated and comfortable by ‘status quo’ and an attitude like ‘if it isn’t broke, then don’t fix it’ is again a formula for underperformance. It’s interesting that this first ‘secret’ is typically most commonly missed during the hiring process - often because a company has not clearly identified and communicated their crucial 3-5 work values that are essential for its sustained success!

The second ‘secret’ is the fit between the performer and the key requirements for the job involved. Almost every job description we encounter is based on a description of ‘activities’, and not based on the 3 to 4 key results required that make the position necessary to the organization. And, in large part, those hiring may use very worthwhile hiring practices like ‘behavioral interviewing,’ but use them in ways that fail to capitalize on the potential by not zeroing-in on the types of results and underlying performer motivations and capabilities required for delivering these requirements. In decades of working with organizations like the Hay Group International as a senior external consultant, it continues to be a ‘miracle’ when we find anything different than this practice.

The third ‘secret’ involves the fit between the job candidate and their own personal satisfiers or motivators. One of the keys to keeping desired performers is by matching them with a culture as well as a job that fits, as a source of self-regenerating motivation for the successful candidate. As such, making sure a job fits with the individual performer’s work interests, personal work style habits and preferences, and their personal values is a strong predictor that those hired are more likely to stay with your organization when also treated well and compensated fairly. And, when this happens, both productivity and morale continue to rise from their winning contributions to everyone’s success, not just their own!