Jennifer Deroin
We understand. Dealing with employee non-performance issues is no fun – not for them, and not for you. Not to mention, it takes a lot of time – time that could be spent coaching high performers, developing new products, delivering on a promise to client, or making a new sale.
What’s at the root of non-performance? Most experts would say, engagement. Gallup defines engaged employees as “those who are involved in, enthusiastic about and committed to their work and workplace”. Gallup reports that in 2014, 51% of workers were “not engaged” and 17.5% were “actively disengaged”. Yikes! That leaves a meager 31.5% of workers in the “engaged” column.
You’ve likely heard Jim Collin’s famous quote, “Get the right people, in the right seat on the bus”. That statement is rooted in research that illustrates that when people utilize their strengths, they’ll perform well, and engagement will increase. Renowned leadership speaker John Maxwell attributes 80% of performance to hiring right in the first place, and then getting them in the right seat.
But how will we know top performers when we see them, and how will we know what the right seat is?
Job Benchmarking
Tired of guessing at this ourselves, we sought out for a better way and discovered Job Benchmarking. Job Benchmarking is the process of letting the job talk – in other words,
understanding through the lens of people that have been there, done that, who are referred to as “Subject Matter Experts”. Through a specific process, they determine what success in the role looks like, and what competencies the job requires in order to perform well. From their collective analysis, a Job Report is created to be used as the benchmark.
When candidates apply for a job, they’re compared to the Job Report and a resulting “Gap Report” is created. This shows where candidates align with the job, and where there are concerns that should be addressed.
As human beings, it’s our natural tendency to gravitate towards others like us. Our personal bias comes into play when selecting a new candidate, or considering a promotion. In doing so, we inadvertently may not match the person to the job, or get them in the right seat. We call this, “using our gut”. Unfortunately, when we use our gut to make these decisions, we can often end up with a stomach ache.
What We’ve Learned
Job Benchmarking helps to drastically reduce bad hires, or poorly placed promotions. It does not necessarily highlight your top performers. That however can be done through strategic interviewing practices, which is an additional benefit of the Job Report. Not only does the report indicate which competencies are most important, it then provides behavioral interview questions that will help you gain a deeper understanding of how a candidate has demonstrated their abilities over time, and historically exemplified what you are seeking.
Job Benchmarking is just one facet to the job/people placement process, but it certainly gives you great insight that allows you to make an informed decision. As importantly, it helps bring clarity and consensus to your team that is involved in the hiring process, so you’re all working from the same play book.
No hiring process is perfect, but I feel a lot better knowing that I’ve tipped the scales in my favor.
Want to learn more about Job Benchmarking? Contact us today.
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