Should you hire unemployed talent?

I sat in a meeting last week and heard from a talented and very experienced peer who is currently on the job market that a senior leader refused to interview him simply because he is unemployed. Not because of a gap in his resume or a cultural fit – just because of this manager’s perception of unemployed people. I can tell you that tons of bad karma was flowing in her direction from all of us in the meeting. This new trend has been brought up in the media. It’s not just that it feels wrong; turning away a whole talent pool based on one factor is not a smart thing to do.

Human resources and hiring managers are getting inundated by hundreds of resumes every time they post a job opening. They have to find a way to screen out the unqualified candidates and unearth the best of the best. They cannot use methods that would discriminate against protected classes (race, gender, disability etc.) One area where employers are already stepping into landmines is by increasing job requirements just because the talent is available. If you require a degree or certification for a job that didn’t use to need one, you may be headed for trouble.

Discriminating against unemployed status is not illegal, although not smart. Some employers are still under the impression that the people currently seeking work were laid off for performance reasons. Newsflash: Whole departments were slashed. Some companies had to reduce 50% of their workforce. One of my least favorite corporate assignments was to coordinate a (large) reduction list. The managers who had to submit names were fighting tooth and nail to keep their employees. There were no low performers to let go.

The talent thrown over the corporate fence has been through good in-house schooling and knows the functional best practices. The talent from small and mid-sized companies is truly versatile and has learned to perform multiple roles and keep many plates spinning in the air. Savvy recruiters and hiring managers should give both a second look.

There are better ways to screen talent than unemployment status. Use clear job requirements; know your culture and what kind of behaviors you are looking for. Consider an applicant assessment before you interview. Use an employee referral system.

Current job seekers are not standing still. They are retraining, learning new skills, volunteering, networking and doing pro bono project work. I hope they are highlighting these activities in their resume. One of them might just be the right one.

Hiring managers, HR, recruiters and job seekers: Do you agree or disagree? Share your experiences!

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Don’t let bells and whistles overshadow true performance management

The performance management systems are improving release after release. There are more automated functionalities, more options and special features. The purpose is to relieve the managers and HR from the administrative burden that the annual reviews place on them. The system alerts push managers to do what they are supposed to do: manage the performance of their employees. However, some of the fancy features may do just the opposite.

One of the popular features is goal cascading. It allows the company to display and sometimes delegate goals downstream the organizational hierarchy. Goal alignment is important for uniting the workforce behind the company priorities. There is a risk however that the managers might think that just pushing the button in the performance management system is enough to get everyone rallied around the team goals. The system should not replace company and team meetings where the management explains why the goals are important and how they relate to everyone’s individual goals. If the employees can participate in the goal setting process, it also increases their engagement. Cascading the goals in the system for administrative purposes after all the interaction has taken place is fine, as long as the system does not take over the discourse.

The idea of the performance management system pushing for more frequent reviews sounds like a great idea at first. Quarterly or monthly reviews could mean so much more feedback for employees compared to what they used to receive before. There is nothing wrong with having a monthly or quarterly review to step back and make sure the priorities and the development plan are still on the right track. However, if the company wants to drive high performance, it should not send the message that monthly or quarterly review is enough feedback. Informal feedback needs to be timely, based on observed performance, not driven by system alerts. Letting managers settle for less creates a culture that looks at feedback as evaluative instead of developmental. The way to increase the quality and amount of feedback is not through system alerts but through clear expectations and training managers.

The improved systems also provide a more user friendly and more granular way to rate and evaluate employee performance. You can find color coding, sliding scales and many ways to compare employees. Although the scales may help the managers in the decision making regarding the ratings, the system does not change the fact that the manager still is the one responsible for the developmental discussion with the employee. No matter how granular the rating is, the most useful information is what the manager sees as the employee’s strengths and the areas for development. A forward looking dialogue focusing on a few concrete actions is more powerful than anything you can see in the most advanced performance management system.

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Social media trends and talent implications

I attended the Austin Tech Fair today, and some of the panel discussions inspired me to summarize a few thoughts around how talent requirements are being shaped by social media trends.

Social media changes how relationships are built and how collaboration works. The connectivity brings people together in a new way we are learning to embrace. Some of the competencies listed today were virtual collaboration skills, cultural competence, ability to process information and continuous learning agility.

Virtual collaboration skills become increasingly important, as teams work together across geographical and organizational boundaries. We are expected to command the technology that enables us to edit documents, facilitate discussions and coordinate projects between multiple locations. With the virtual nature of the work comes the challenge of forming authentic relationships without face-to-face contact. Those who know how to overcome this barrier will lead productive teams and successful customer interactions.

I raised a question to the panel whether they think the technology will replace some of the face-to-face interaction and what the implications might be. Scott Ingram, the Sales Director of Bazaarvoice and the founder of Network in Austin, responded that instead of replacing, the technology will complement the face-to-face interaction. In between the in-person meetings, social media enables us to keep up-to-date on the lives of our connections and thus form deeper relationships than otherwise possible.

Social media connects people across national boundaries as well. As the geographical distance becomes a non-issue, cultural competence and international business acumen increase in value.

David Armistead from Social Web Strategies pointed out the current challenge of the information overload. The talent imperative is the ability to filter and process information for competitive advantage. A related question from the audience was regarding time management. Dave Evans from Social Web Strategies stressed that one needs to be purposeful with the use of social media and allocate a certain time slot for it and not go over it.

As we are headed towards the new technological revolution, the cyber age, perhaps the most important quality of future talent is learning agility. Lifelong learning, an open mind and reinventing oneself are critical for the workforce. Many of the jobs as we know them today will not be necessary. Many of the jobs of tomorrow don’t yet exist. A career will no longer be a monolithic path, rather it will be like social media; nimble, interactive and ever-evolving.

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The magic of commitment to core values

I am just back from a family vacation at Disney World in Orlando, FL. Despite my aching feet from walking miles across theme parks, each with different flavor of attractions and shows, I can still feel the Disney magic. Every experience Disney creates is just a notch above the rest. With the masses of people everywhere, things work out smoothly; it’s all meticulously planned and practiced. No matter what you ask, the cast members, as they call their employees, are happy to fulfill your request. Nothing is done grudgingly. You get a wave with a smile, a hug, a high five, and for a moment, even a grown up can feel like a school kid again.

Disney’s values are innovation, quality, community, storytelling, optimism and decency. What differentiates Disney from most other companies is the pervasiveness of these values in their organization. When Disney talks about quality, they invest in additional people to make sure that there are no glitches in the guest experience. The rest rooms shine and traffic flows, even with millions of visitors. Our friend asked a cast member where he could find extra napkins, and she offered to run downstairs to get some. In other companies, this would be considered above and beyond performance; at Disney, it is a basic expectation.

Disney spends a great effort in selecting the right people that fit their culture. They are clear about their expectations from the start. Once the cast member is in, they invest in their training and development through proven programs. A survey on management effectiveness in administered on an on-going basis, to make sure that the values are upheld at all levels.

What differentiates the best from the rest is the fanatical commitment to the vision, mission and values of the company. The magic will follow.

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Oh why do they resist?

The only thing constant is change. Growing companies must introduce change initiatives to break the mold and find new ways to beat the competition. Status quo equals stagnation and falling behind. The best companies know how to execute their change campaigns effectively and charge ahead. Yet, in many companies, the Big Idea may be met with Big Resistance and shrivel away until it is buried in the graveyard of flavors of the year.

In general, you have three kinds of people to work with, in a change process: 1) the champions, 2) the middle ground and 3) the C.A.V.E. dwellers.

The champions are a blessing for any change initiative – they believe in the vision, they will jump on the cause and evangelize with you, as soon as you give them a good reason. They are the salt of the earth. You’ll get about 15% of the population to be champions, if you’re lucky. Be grateful – be very grateful for them. They love to spread the word, and other employees respect them.

The C.A.V.E. dwellers are the Coworkers Against Virtually Everything. These 15% at the other end of the spectrum are grumpy and negative without providing solutions. You are not going to convince them, so don’t waste too much of your time on them. Just mitigate their efforts to win other people to their side.

Your middle ground is the 70% critical mass smack in the middle. They are in the wait and see mode. They watch. They have seen other flavors come and go, and they don’t want to jump aboard and get excited too early if this is another one of those. They want to see if leadership really is serious about this initiative. Are the managers really walking the talk? Is this change woven into the fabric of the organizational reality?

For the middle ground, first deal with their doubts. Once they start thinking that this might be a real deal, make it easy for them to try the new things out. Remove obstacles and limit frustrations. As soon as they see the light, make them heroes and celebrate quick wins. Grow your army of champions.

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