At the core of every successful company is a team of individuals who were made for their jobs. They thrive in their roles and they drive growth and success for their organization.
As individuals and a society, we’ve evolved tremendously over the last few decades, and even within these past few years. Knowing this and understanding that hiring the right people is key to growth, it begs the question – why are we still building teams and hiring like we did in the ‘80s?
Traditional recruitment methods rely on resumes, interviews, and references. But these limited models are, at best, restrictive, and at worst, misleading and inaccurate.
Leveraging these tools alone does not provide a comprehensive understanding of a candidate’s behavioral traits, motivators or tendencies – which can be key determinants in whether or not the individual will succeed in their role.
Considering these behavioral aspects is crucial to hiring better employees and elevating your team as a whole. Behavioral assessments evaluate behavioral patterns that provide valuable insights to enhance the hiring process, increase match rate, and ultimately reduce turnover.
Here, we discuss the benefits of behavioral science and how to tie this aspect of ‘human hiring’ into your process to drive greater results.
Behavioral Science & Types of Assessments
Behavioral science encompasses aspects of psychology, neuroscience, economics and other disciplines to determine the how and why behind human behavior.
Instituting a hiring process inclusive of behavioral science can help hiring managers evaluate a candidate’s past behavior and experiences in specific situations to predict their future performance. They also help assess a candidate’s personality, values, motivations, and work style. Which all influence their innate ability to succeed in their job.
Three different types of science we apply during the hiring process for our clients include:
Behavior Assessments
A person’s behavior is a necessary and integral part of their identity. In other words, much of our behavior comes from “nature” (inherent), and much comes from “nurture” (our upbringing).
This is the universal language of “how we act” or our observable human behavior.
12 Driving Forces
Based on a candidate’s responses to the behavioral assessment, our reports generate statements to provide a broad understanding of why you do what you do.
These statements identify the motivation that you bring to the job. However, you could have a potential Me-Me conflict when two driving forces seem to conflict with each other.
One can use these general characteristics to gain a better understanding of your driving forces or those of your team.
Emotional Intelligence
The Emotional Quotient™ (EQ) assessment evaluates a person’s emotional intelligence. This is the ability to sense, understand and effectively apply the power and acumen of emotions to facilitate higher levels of collaboration and productivity.
The output from this assessment helps to provide insight into two broad areas: Self and Others.
All of these assessments provide a more holistic view of a candidate, enabling the hiring team to make informed decisions about their true fit within the company culture and job requirements – not just the candidate’s proclaimed fit.
Benefits of Using Behavioral Science in Hiring & Team Growth
What I find the most intriguing about using these sciences in the hiring process is that besides describing strengths, the output we provide our clients offers guidance on areas for improvement, stressors, and conflict.
Understanding these factors and having them outlined in straightforward language provides a platform for personal development. I see this being extremely valuable for upper management development.
A blend and summary of all of the sciences is really where the true beauty lies. The science and software we leverage provides an incredible report that summarizes a person in their entirety.
In completing the assessments myself, I found that more than 95% of the output was spot on. While some of the analysis may be difficult to accept, self-awareness can really empower one to lean into strengths, tune into ways to grow, and determine when to make behavioral adjustments to prevent unnecessary conflict or ease stress.
Workplace Culture and Behavioral Science
In addition to having the right team members in place, company culture also plays a vital role in the success of any organization.
Hiring employees who align with the company’s values and mission is essential for building a collaborative and productive team. Leveraging behavioral science can also help identify candidates who are a good cultural fit, ensuring that they will thrive in the organization’s environment and get along with their colleagues.
That said, not all candidates who “fit in” with company culture will be the best person for the job. Unconscious bias can influence the hiring process, leading to the selection of candidates who may not be the best fit. Behavioral assessments provide an objective and standardized evaluation method, reducing bias and ensuring fair assessments.
These assessments focus on observable behaviors rather than personal characteristics that may make someone “likable”, allowing the hiring team to make more objective decisions based on evidence and data.
In today’s competitive job market, hiring the right employees is crucial. Traditional recruitment methods may not provide a comprehensive understanding of a candidate’s behavioral traits.
Hiring teams leveraging the power of behavioral science are getting ahead of the competition by increasing match rate, reducing turnover and positively influencing workplace culture to drive greater success for the organization as a whole.
Elevate Your Hiring Process, Elevate Your TeamBreak the hiring process mold and achieve greater results when you incorporate behavioral science into your model! Request a complimentary Introductory Call today to learn more.
