It’s a phrase I often use with leaders at Service Express, particularly when they’re recruiting for talent at our organization.
Because Service Express is a growing company with an exceptional culture, we’re fortunate that we attract applicants with a high level of skill and aptitude in their areas of expertise.
But we don’t just hire people who can do the job. By the time they’ve made it past our initial screening process, we’ve determined that they have both the skills and the aptitude to succeed. We also have many candidates who rise to the top because they have an advanced skill set.
It can be tempting for hiring managers to rush the process because they have extra work that needs to be off-loaded, they don’t have time to sit through more interviews, or they feel pressure from others to fill the position. In my experience, rushing this critical process does a disservice to the new employee and to the business. In the end, hiring the wrong person often leads to more work because employees are left to clean up. Work loads are compounded, the recruiting process must begin all over again, and the pressure that hiring managers feel is exacerbated.
A recent study uncovered that 46% of new hires don’t make it past the first 18 months of employment. Of those, 89% didn’t make it because of attitudinal reasons, while 11% didn’t make it because of lack of skill. As a result, companies are experiencing high levels of turnover which put s a significant strain on productivity, innovation, customer service, revenue, margins, growth and employee engagement.
At Service Express we don’t hire the skill; skill can be learned. We hire the will.
How to Be an “A Player” at Service Express
While there are simple tests that can measure both skill and proficiency, for many organizations finding A Players can be both challenging and more resource intensive.
Because one person’s attitude has a significant impact on the culture of an entire organization, recruitment should be a high priority.
David Packard once said “No company can consistently grow revenues faster than its ability to get enough of the right people to implement that growth.”
We guard our culture fiercely and decided early on that we would would take the time necessary to hire people who are a great culture fit for Service Express.
Service Express is exceptional because our people are exceptional.
Go Deeper: 10 Characteristics of a Great Employee