It is an accepted paradox of recruitment that sometimes a person with all the relevant skills, experience and qualifications, and who ticks all the right boxes during the interview and selection process, can still turn out to be ‘not quite right’ in their new role. And the reasons are not immediately obvious, Even exit interviews may not unearth the genuine reasons for someone deciding “this isn’t for me”.
The fact is that the most probable reason a prime candidate becomes a ‘poor fit’ is exactly the same reason that some people drive each other mad in the workplace…
Its all about BEHAVIOUR!
We all have our own particular behavioural design, which has been fashioned from a combination of nature (genetic) and nurture (experience) throughout our lives. And whether we like it or not, some peoples’ behavioural designs will not sit comfortably with our own. How many times have you taken an instant disliking to someone who you met for the first time - for no other reason than the behaviour you observe?
This is simply the result of a behavioural mismatch - a conflict with our own behavioural design.
Not only do we have a natural or ‘internal’ behavioural style - the way we behave when we are relaxed or in a familiar environment - we also adapt our behaviour to suit the environment in which we find ourselves. This adapted or ‘external’ behaviour is referred to as our ‘mask’ and can be very different to the way we behave naturally.
Understandably, the workplace environment and people, together with the demands of a particular role, can cause us to wear a behavioural ‘mask’ when we are at work. Some people can adapt their behaviour quite easily. However, if someone is having to adapt significantly from their natural style, the results can be anxiety, stress and poor performance. The consequences of a behavioral mismatch in the workplace should not be overlooked. Not only can an individual’s suitability be affected by their behaviour, but their ability (or indeed willingness) to adapt to a new role will be impacted too. And for team-based roles, individual behaviour can have a destructive effect on the team dynamic - with devastating consequences.
Many organisations are now investing in profiling techniques to help them better understand the behavioural characteristics of their workforce. Indeed psychometric evaluation has been a common component of the middle/senior management and executive recruitment process for many years.
However, with the increasing demands on organisations to get it ‘right first time’ when it comes to recruitment, there is no reason why behavioural profiling should not become an integral component of the selection process at all levels.
When organisations make any significant investment it pays to know what they are investing in - it pays to find out as much as possible before making an important decision. By using behavioural profiling, employers can eliminate post interview guesswork and avoid worrying about making a costly decision – it adds another layer of objectivity to the recruitment process and improves the likelihood of getting the right person for the job.
Steve Lane
Ology Business Coach – Birmingham.
 |
eNewsletter Sign-up & Discounts
|
| 
