Whereas until a few years ago, a job candidate's CV was all the information needed to make a decision on who would fill the vacancy, the increased importance of soft skills in professional performance is leading Human Resources departments to to develop selection processes where the personal values of the applicants take centre stage.
According to a study by the American Psychological Society, One of the main reasons employees quit their jobs is because they do not feel that their personal values are in line with those of the company. Hence companies should ensure that they are recruiting professionals who fit not only the technical requirements of the job itself, but also the organisational culture, an element that 9 out of ten managers consider important for business success, according to the study. Global Trends in Human Capital 2016 of Deloitte.
What is values-based recruitment?
The selection of personnel based on personal values involves a new way of conducting talent acquisition where, in addition to paying attention to candidates' experience, training and expertise, Human Resources managers will analyse applicants' attitude, personality, social skills and personal values and beliefs, looking for professionals who fit in with the company's organisational culture.
This new methodology is one of the trends in Human Resources and is gradually spreading in companies as a means of creating high-performance teams. fully aligned with the company's purpose, mission and values and, therefore, more motivated and involved, resulting in a better professional performance in the medium term.
In fact, according to the latest report HR Trends. 35% of organisations take into account personal competencies - in addition to technical skills - for recruitment and selection. the 44% ensures that it is a decisive piece of information in the final resolution.
In this sense, according to another study carried out by the HR consultancy firm. Human Factor, these are the ten soft skills most in demand by companies:
- Commitment
- Responsibility
- Involvement
- Positive attitude
- Proactivity
- Adaptability
- Interest
- Innovation
- Sincerity
- Empathy
Advantages of including personal values in the selection process
What is the reason for the boom in this recruitment model? The key is that by looking for professionals who are technically and emotionally suited to the position and the company, the company obtains a series of benefits:
- Talent drain is reduced. Given the greater alignment between personal and business values, recruited workers adapt better to their jobs and are more loyal to the organisation, considerably reducing staff turnover. Specifically, Daniel Goleman, in his book Emotional intelligence at work: How to select, measure and improve emotional intelligence in individuals, groups and organisations., refers to a study carried out by McClelland in an organisation that introduced a selection system based on the EQ and personal values of managers with the aim of reducing the high turnover rate in these positions. Two years after applying the new methodology to the recruitment of senior managers, the turnover rate was reduced from 49% to 6%.
- Recruitment and training costs are minimised. With less staff turnover, the company has to spend less budget on funding the recruitment and training of new employees. The same McClelland research, for example, showed that before implementing value-based recruitment, the resignation of managers and the inclusion of their replacements was costing the company €4 million per year whereas after recruitment optimisation the company saved more than €3.5 million per year.
- Involvement and satisfaction are increased. When employees share the company's values, they feel that they have a sense of belonging to the company. more motivated and satisfied in their jobs. This is stated in the Engagement Barometer 2015, The report, produced by Meta4 and Tatum, reveals that identification with the company's values and goals is one of the main levers that activate work commitment.
- Improving the work climate. When the members of the organisation share beliefs and objectives, teamwork and cohesion of the whole group is facilitated, leading to a positive work environment.
- Productivity is increased. As a result, professionals optimise their performance, which translates into improved productivity and results for the company.
The application of the model
However, in order to include personal values as part of the recruitment process, it is important to take the following into consideration guidelines:
- Define corporate values. In order to know whether a candidate's personal values match those of the company, it is first necessary to be clear about the company's values.
- Determine the applicant's values. In some cases, the CV may contain information about the professional's beliefs, although recruiters should find out more about the professional's personal values through the individual interview.
- Corroborate the candidate's principles. In addition to what the professional can provide about themselves, the recruiter must check that this information is true. To do this, he or she can conduct a survey of their social profiles, check references, carry out psycho-occupational tests or team-building activities.
Techniques used in the interview
The personal interview will be one of the key moments in getting to know the candidate's true personal values and, for this reason, it is advisable to apply different techniques to bring these principles to light:
- Telling a story. The consulting firm McKinsey uses an exercise in which it asks the professional to tell a story about leadership, success at work, adaptability... In this way, the recruiter can see both the creativity and ingenuity of the applicant and the principles on which the narrative -real or fictitious- is built.
- Surprising questions. More and more selection processes are including questions that, a priori, may seem inappropriate or out of place, but the aim of these questions is to test the person's reaction, their capacity to respond, and their beliefs based on their answers. What character would you go to dinner with, what is your favourite film or what would you take with you to a desert island?.
- Simulations. It is also common to carry out role-playing exercises during the selection process, both individually and collectively, inviting the applicant/s to occupy, for a few minutes, the position he/she wants to access and face different difficult situations, such as an unsatisfied client, an apathetic colleague or an authoritarian boss.
- Relaxed atmosphere. In order to deepen the personal values of the person and get to know the professional better, many companies opt to conduct interviews off-site, such as in a cafeteria, in order to establish a closer connection with the candidate.
