Proper Hiring Can Foster "Happiness"
in Workplace

by Ann Fry

We're hearing lots of scary words in the world of business today — downsizing, layoffs, mergers, acquisitions, re-engineering.

Some people are “losing it” and showing up at their workplaces with weapons and threats.

Major companies are going out of business.

All of this is causing anxiety for employers and employees alike.

Although I might not have much to say, at least not from a humor perspective, about these tough “what to do” questions, such as what to do when someone goes “bonkers” at work, I have plenty to say about how to avoid hiring those people who go bonkers in the first place and about creating an environment that's “safe” and fulfilling for employees.

It boils down to creating a culture that invites honesty, loyalty, comfort and satisfaction, and fosters “happiness” at work. When a company creates this kind of culture, its retention rate rises dramatically.

Here are some insights on hiring:

1. It's important to do adequate to excellent formal assessment — the Myers Briggs or DISC, for example. Use good measurement tools to determine “fits” for your company.
   
2. It's just as important to do informal assessment. This consists of a series of interviews and questions that examine the person's ability to “fit in” in a less stereotypical way. Also, it attests to the workplace being a place where people actually “love” going to work.
   
   Here are some questions you should ask:
   • What kind of an environment do you like to work in?
   • Do you best work alone or in groups?
   • What do you think the workplace should be like? Should it be serious? Should it be lighthearted?
   • What should the environment — such as the building itself — look like?
   • What do you do to contribute to the well-being of your co-workers? How can you help them be more fulfilled at work? What can they do for you?
   • If you could change two things about the place you last worked, what would they be?
   • What do you think makes a workplace the kind of place where people love going to work?
   • When you get stressed, what do you do to take care of yourself?
   • When you're having a problem with your boss and co-workers, how do you resolve it?
   • What ideas do you have for “lightening up” this place?

   None of these questions speaks to skill. These questions are more along the lines of “emotional intelligence.”

3. Allow the person being interviewed to check out whether he or she would “fit in” and how the place looks. Remember, this is a two-way decision — do you want this person and does this person want to be there?
   
   Give the prospect an opportunity to walk around the workplace, but obviously in accessible areas only. Invite the prospect to talk to people and ask them what it's like to work there. Don't accompany the prospect — that way, the prospect senses the freedom to check it out on his or her own and not just with people you line up.
   
   For this to work, your company would have to be set up as one of the “cultures” described above — safe, comfortable and secure, not “uptight” and secretive.

In summary, it all begins with being the kind of company that practices prevention first — a company that doesn't just have to use Band-Aids to fix problems, but rather has permanent “ways of being” that attract excellent employees. This kind of company will attract employees of the highest caliber and won't have to face many of the “How do I handle ... ?”

As for dealing with difficult “what to do” questions or concerns, a company should create a committee consisting of employees from all levels who are available to all employees as a “safe” place to go to discuss concerns anonymously. It would kind of be like an internal Employee Assistance Program.

Again, the committee must guarantee safety and anonymity. A committee member could approach others on the committee for suggestions without mentioning the name of the co-worker. This would be a stopgap or first step to handling a potentially difficult situation before it might need to move to a next level. Often, a corporate coach can assist with this situation.

We all remember the saying about “an ounce of prevention.” Well, hiring the right people means losing fewer down the line. It also means that by hiring well in the beginning, productivity goes up and so does profit. We'll all toast to that — it's what makes the world go 'round for us all.

So if you're an employer, what do you need to change about your hiring procedures? What questions do you want to be asking? How can you make those better decisions at the outset? When will you carry out these changes?

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