When it comes to new hires, all organizations have their own set of criteria and preferences. They want people who worked in certain industries with a certain amount of experience and educational qualifications. Yes, these are important, and they will play a part in how well the employee performs in the role, but apart from technical knowledge and expertise, there are many qualities that potential employees need to possess to make a real difference to not just the growth prospects of the organization but also its culture and work environment. We will see some essential qualities that your employees need to possess:
Communication skills
However talented the employees, and however good is their performance, it will all come to naught if they cannot communicate properly. Communication is the bedrock of teamwork in organizations, and all employees must be effective and able communicators. Therefore, along with the technical evaluation, it is a good idea to evaluate them on their communication skills. Also, it is a good idea to sharpen their communication skills by organizing periodic training sessions.
Teamwork
We already touched on this above. In organizations, individuals will not achieve anything – it is teams and business units that do. However big the employee is, he or she is not bigger than the organization, and everyone must learn to play well with others if they are to achieve anything together. If communication is the bedrock of teamwork, teamwork is the bedrock of success. Therefore, it is essential that the new hire is a good team player. It is easy to evaluate this in an interview or during a group session.
Interested in learning
Not everyone knows everything, and in fact, in this digital age, there are lots of new challenges which people have never encountered before, and therefore may not know how to overcome these. However, this is ok, as long as they are interested in learning how to solve these issues. The ability and willingness to learn must never come down – people have to keep learning new skills across time if they are to not become obsolete. Therefore, check that your new hires have a propensity for learning. During the interview, you can ask a few questions about what they have learned recently, and if the motivation to learn came from within or if they forced to do so because of the job. If they are self-motivated to learn, that is the kind of candidate you need.
You can implement regular training programs and measure their effectiveness using human resource management software.
Awareness about culture
There are many candidates who not only do not know what organizational culture is all about but also do not bother with culture. They think that as long as they are putting in their hours, it should be enough, and fostering and enhancing culture is not for them. New hires are expected to not just understand and follow the organizational culture but to improve it with their efforts. So, make sure that you employ candidates who are aware of culture, and who you think will be a good fit for your workplace. If a candidate asks you a question about what the organizational culture like, that is the kind of candidate you want.
Accountability
Responsibility and accountability sound almost the same, and yes, you do want responsible employees at your workplace, but I would say that more than responsibility, it is accountability that is important. Responsibility comes when someone assigns you a task, but accountability comes when you yourself want that task. Responsibility is more of an external factor whereas accountability is more internal, and since it comes from within the employee it is that much more pure and effective. You want candidates who take accountability for the completion of the task comprehensively, not someone who is happy to fob it off onto someone else and make an exit. So, ensure that the candidates you are selecting show a high degree of accountability.
Smarter than you
This one is especially for the managers. The candidates you hire should be smarter than you and be able to teach you something you do not know. Many managers make the mistake of wanting to be the smartest person in the room, and therefore hire candidates who are not as smart as them, let alone smarter. However, if the organization is to truly improve, and if you want to improve, it is a good idea to hire people who are smarter than you.
Proactive
Finally, we wind up with one of the most important characteristics your employees should possess. Instead of being reactive and being told what to do, employees should be proactive and do things before they are told to do so. One of my managers used to tell me it was better to do things and tell him rather than tell him, wait for permission, and then do it. If you trust your employees, it is a good idea to encourage them to be proactive.
A recruitment software solution will be of big help for you in short-listing and select the right candidates for your organization.