Values-Based Hiring: One Bad Apple CAN Spoil the Bunch

Prior to my relocation to Greenville, SC, I worked in retail banking for about six years.  During that time I worked in seven different branch locations. Over the years, one thing that became abundantly clear is that hiring the right employees, although it can be incredibly challenging, is also integral to the success of any business.  

You’ve probably heard the expression that “one bad apple can spoil the bunch.” Trust me, this is SO true! If one employee out of 25 has a poor attitude or negative outlook, he or she will not hesitate to spread “poison” throughout the organization and sour the attitude of even your star employees. So what’s a manager to do?  Well, let’s start with the basics, and go from there...

Myriad factors that go in to what makes a good employee and most jobs require certain skills in terms of education, technical capabilities, and past experience. But don’t be fooled, these things are only one piece of the puzzle.  If you hire based solely on a checklist of technical and/or educational requirements – you will likely be grossly “underwhelmed” once that employee comes onboard. 

True Story: With a theatre degree, my first manager “took a chance” and hired me as a banking management trainee – a position requiring a business degree. She looked beyond my education, which caused some of her colleagues to think she was little crazy.  But she had the last laugh. I ended up being one of the most successful employees among my hiring class.  Why?  Not because I took accounting, management, or finance - but because I was hungry for knowledge, a quick learner, determined, and driven to prove those wrong who didn’t believe a theatre major could cut it in the banking world! 

Positive attitude, optimism, determination, desire to learn, and work ethic are all desirable attributes. So, what if the person you’d like to hire doesn’t have a required skill like QuickBooks or a degree in the desired field?  Don’t rule them out! 

Fact: it is relatively easy to hire an employee. Unfortunately, many times it is extremely complicated to remove that individual from your organization.  It hurts team morale, can cause distrust or fear among those who remain, and sometimes it can become a legal nightmare! So, when you need to find a replacement “yesterday,” take a step back and remember how essential it is to be patient. It may stretch your remaining office staff in the short run, but choosing correctly is worth the strain. 

Overall, you can teach someone an industry, software, or how to perform specific tasks like opening a checking account, managing website content, or even advising clients on financial decisions.  What you CANNOT teach are fundamental personality traits like loyalty, hard work, positivity, and determination. 

At Phoneworx, we’ve got a great team of employees with varied background experiences – bringing different perspectives to the world of Business Phone Systems sales and service.  We may not all live and breathe business phones like our technicians, but we are all driven to succeed, eager to learn, and committed to delivering unbeatable customer service.  So when it’s time to hire that next employee, if there’s even one thing that seems awry in terms of attitude, or you foresee potential personality conflicts between a candidate and your current employee team, you must look elsewhere. 

Hire smart. Hire for attitude. Hire based on values.

Until next time –

Megan