Recruiting for Great Working Relationships: A Shift from Skills to Synergy 

 While doing some learning and development research this week, I came across the following quote that struck a chord. 

In times of stress and pressure, it’s easy to lose sight of how critical our work friendships and productive work relationships are. Strong workplace relationships make us happier and boost efficient problem-solving, productivity, and employee loyalty. I then turned my thinking to advocating for recruitment that brings the best people into organisations rather than the right CVs. 

The traditional approach to recruitment, which often screens candidates out if they don’t tick all the boxes on a checklist of technical skills and experience, is increasingly being viewed as inadequate. If technical ability is required, today’s savvy recruiters are seeking the best person and then assessing their aptitude for acquiring the technical skills they need. A potential applicant’s ability to foster strong working relationships should be heavily weighted as a factor for consideration. At Stapleton Consulting, we look beyond the CV and Job Description to see and know the people in your business and those hoping to join it. 

The Limitations of Skills-Based Hiring 

Focusing solely on skills will lead to the recruitment of technically proficient people but often ignores how well they will gel with the existing team or company culture. This mismatch can lead to expensive turnover rates, reduced team morale, and inefficiencies that outweigh the benefits of their technical expertise. Moreover, skills can be taught, but intrinsic qualities such as empathy, communication, and teamwork are much harder to improve. 

The Case for Relationship-Based Recruitment 

• Improved Team Dynamics: Collaboration becomes seamless and joyful when employees share common values and communication styles. Team members are more willing to share innovative ideas, be open to constructive feedback, and help each other. 
• Better Employee Engagement: Employees who feel a strong sense of belonging in their team and identify closely with the organisational culture are happier and more engaged with their jobs, which translates directly into higher productivity. 
• Reduced Turnover: Employees are more likely to stay with an organisation where they feel understood, valued, and connected to their colleagues. 

Recruiting for Relationships Strategies 

• Behavioural Interviewing: Use STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) style questions to assess candidates’ past experiences in team settings, interpersonal skills, and emotional intelligence. 
• Utilise questionnaires and testing tools: Hiring decisions are subjective based on the information you can collate during recruitment. Minimise your risks with work styles questionnaire tools such as the Wave Questionnaire created by Saville. It is a powerful predictor of workplace performance based on a person’s behavioural preferences. 
• Cultural Fit: Have a well-documented understanding of your organisational culture and values that can be explained in practice and connected to how your business operates on a day-to-day basis. 
• Collaborative Hiring Processes: Involve potential team members in the interview process. Their feedback can be invaluable in determining how well a candidate will integrate into your business. 
• Onboarding for Integration: Ensure new employees have a holistic onboarding process with relationship building prioritised. Pairing them with a mentor(s) can help them navigate their new role quickly and establish strong work relationships. 

While skills will always be important, the ability to build and maintain strong working relationships with others is a vital component of successful teams. 

At Stapleton Consulting, we advocate for a well-balanced approach that values both the person and their technical skills, helping organisations create a more engaged and productive workforce. Let’s prioritise people over CVs and create a path forward together.