When recruiting for new staff there’s a lot riding on you in terms of overall business performance – so it’s essential that you secure individuals that demonstrate the right employee behaviours and values. If staff values aren’t aligned with company values it can lead to a lack of productivity, low team morale and high staff turnover rates.
While historically HR and recruitment has tended to focus on skills and industry experience, it’s possible to train employees that show potential, but behaviour? Not so easy. Leopards may well be able to change their spots over time, but for the best outcome in the shortest time you should look for candidates that will fit in with your business culture, display essential key behaviours and quickly become a positive contributor to the team.
5 key staff values and attitudes to look for
Get your company and staff values aligned and everyone’s singing off the same hymn sheet, working together instead of pulling in opposite directions.
Every company is different, so specific values may alter depending on your internal culture, but here are our top 5 employee attitudes and behaviours to look for when recruiting for any kind of role…
1. Professionalism and positivity – you want employees who will dress, speak and act in a professional manner at all times, are eager to do the job and do it right. Are they articulate and engaged? Can they evidence delivery of quality work, attention to detail and speak enthusiastically about the role and your company?
2. Flexibility – work processes, systems and strategies are always being updated, so you want staff members who can adapt quickly, without getting stressed. Look for someone who’s willing to step-up or step-in when needed, and can demonstrate how they’ve handled change in previous roles.
3. Self-motivation – employ motivated individuals and their managers will thank you. Someone who’s happy to ask questions to bridge gaps in their knowledge and who displays a desire to take on challenges will be a genuine asset to your business.
4. Loyalty – it’s normal for people to move around in their career, but someone with lots of short-term roles behind them is less likely to stick around. Candidates who speak well of their current/previous employers, have spent several years (age allowing) with the same company and have secured a promotion or two in that time display a sense of loyalty that will be good for business.
5. Ambitious – an ambitious employee will be driven to succeed, focused on their targets and prepared to go the extra mile in order to stand out. That said, you also need to make sure that they’re a true team player, otherwise they may be too set on their own individual success to work effectively with their colleagues.
Identifying employee behaviours
Whatever your recruitment process, there are lots of ways to draw out the information you need to identify these values and behaviours. The right interview questions, assessment centre activities or even role-playing scenario will help you to see if the candidate has the right attitude to bring real value to your business.
Good luck, and if you need any help, you know where we are!