Does your recruitment process pass the beer test?
The question Steve Jobs often asked himself when hiring a new recruit was ‘would I enjoy going out for a beer with this person?’
Believe it or not, this is an important consideration in the hiring process of new staff members. Steve Jobs was often seen walking in the grounds of Apple with candidates to give the time and space to know them better and assess if they would be a good cultural fit within Apple at that time.
The ‘Beer Test’ can be a relevant exercise as it can allow our instincts - gut feeling - and emotional intelligence to make an evaluation.
Moving away from a formal interview environment that typically has pre-agreed set questions to a space where a candidate can feel at ease to have an open conversation can uncover so much more about them than can be gained in a formal interview. Finding out about their interests outside of work, how good they are in building rapport and if they behave in a way that aligns with who they say they are gives valuable insights in the recruitment process.
Inviting a prospective candidate for a coffee with some of their new co-workers can also assist in ascertaining fit within the team dynamic and how they interact socially and match within the team culture is also an option.
If you have two candidates — one who has the perfect skills and experience and another who has slightly fewer skills and experience but is a better cultural fit — it’s often better to go with the second candidate. Skills can be learnt, attitude and values cannot.
So, what is Cultural fit? It is a congruence between the values and behavioural norms of a company and a candidate. It means that a candidate’s core values, actions, and goals match that of the organisation.
In his 2005 psychological study Kristof-Brown found that employees who are a good fit with their company, managers and colleagues experience the following positive results:
They enjoy greater job satisfaction
They identify better with the organisation
They are more likely to stay for longer in the organisation
They perform better at their roles and are more committed
But tread carefully - the definition of cultural fit can be open to the inherent biases of the person recruiting and their own perception of the norms and values within an organisation.
To take some of the ‘gut feeling’ out of the assessment of a candidate’s cultural fit consider using psychometric testing. Less than 20% of employers look to this as an additional, powerful tool in the recruitment process.
Facet5 Personality Profiling is one such tool we recommend and use with excellent results at OrgMent Talent Solutions. It is a modern and advanced measure of personality that is used by organisations and consultancies worldwide. Facet5 provides a model and common language to help understand how people differ in their behaviours, motivations and attitudes, and more importantly, how they will fit within a team and what can be achieved.
For more information about our extensive services visit https://www.omtalent.com.au/services
Kristine Ash
Director
OrgMent Talent Solutions