Testing EQ Before Hiring Talent

‘In the next few years, the Indian staffing market is said to evolve into world’s largest’. If this is true, why do we often hear recruiters complaining of being unable to find the ‘right fit’? Because no professional degree or academic qualification will prepare you to handle a real-time crisis. When pushed off a cliff (read as made to handle a prime client in the first month of joining) or placed amidst a tricky situation, we are left with no theory to implement and prove.

Workplace Revolution 2020 According to a recent World Economic Forum report, EQ aka ‘Emotional Quotient’ has been predicted as one of the top ten skills for employees by 2020. Not the kind of EQ that can be gauged through a Myers-Briggs psychometric test, but the experiential-based learning that will keep them afloat when the going gets tough.

As an employer, we often lay a lot of emphasis on soft skills. Why? Because a people’s person will be attuned with empathy and more prone toward making emotionally sound decisions as a future emerging leader. In fact, nurturing our emotional intelligence becomes even more crucial for managers as today’s world of uncertainty and changing work dynamics require individuals who can be rational even during the most difficult times.

Tackling Toxicity as a Leader

Successful leaders dedicate a significant amount of time, resources, and thought to creating a unique work culture that aligns with the company’s goals and vision. Maintaining this work culture requires consistent effort, frequent evaluation, and reinforcement. Yet, it is becoming more and more of a priority. Books have been written on the subject (Joy, Inc.)1, major consultancies have coined their own terms to describe how important it is to include a healthy culture in the list of top priorities (‘Organizational Health’ McKinsey)2. Especially in the knowledge economy, where our employees’ skills and expertise are our greatest assets, we cannot afford to loose employees because the work environment has become toxic.

Fortunately, there are many things that can be done. Some quick fixes may be helpful in the short term, but it pays to invest in long-term solutions to avoid the re-occurrence of toxicity and to create a lasting change in the work culture.

Choose EQ Over IQ

If you have been observing that your top performers and managers are dissatisfied with their teams or are perpetually in conflict with each other, creating tension at work, it is essential to re-evaluate your hiring practices. Check that culture fit is assessed during the hiring process and make changes to the process to recruit qualified candidates with higher EQ. Employees with this quality deal with negative emotions - including conflict - in a healthier manner. They are cognizant of their own and their team’s emotions, and are equipped with essential people skills to address them in a mature manner. They display empathy in situations of uncertainty, offer reassurance in times of external turbulence, and heighten the team spirit through understanding.

Interventions Based on Communication

Enlist all senior managers and leadership to increase open and transparent communication with their teams. Toxicity breeds on the basis of misinformation, rumors and gossip. Clear, open and humane dialogue with the employees will not only clear their doubts, it will also help build a rapport with them. Conversations that acknowledge and address the psychological and emotional aspect of an uncertain time, let employees know that the company understands them. If done successfully, a positive side effect of these efforts is that employees will also adopt a similar tone while conversing with each other, thereby reducing the toxic atmosphere.

Introduce the Positive

As you deal with the negativity in an organization, it is equally important to introduce initiatives that bring positivity to the workforce. As office politics are also a leading cause for toxicity, focus on team building efforts and training the managers in leadership skills. This is one of those situations where being a leader matters more than being a manager. Ensure that your organization’s managers give the right people credit and recognition whenever it is due; rewarding the efforts of hard-working and talented employees doesn’t just boost their morale, it encourages others as well. As you introduce team building initiatives and interventions, employees will be motivated to work with each other towards team and organizational goals.

Facilitate Mutual Feedback

There is no escaping the effect of individual differences, stiff competition, and rivalries within a workplace. This is also a reason for toxicity in the workplace. To deal with this in a mature and professional way, introduce and encourage open communication and mutual feedback sessions between the managers and their teams. As the managers are the ones who work most closely with the employees and influence them the most, this may help the teams clear the air and resolve interpersonal issues. As a leader of the organization, keep your doors open for those who would like to approach you directly. Fear, hesitancy, and uncertainty only create more challenges; encourage constructive feedback to prevent them from spreading.  

Above all, this is the time when the leadership team of the organization has to step up and make their presence felt by leading by example. Practice what you preach to create change. Remember, reintroduce and reinforce the organization’s values to bring all stakeholders onto the same page and refocus on the vision of your company. Let the company vision and goals be your constant focus as they will help you design solutions to every problem.

This article first appeared on HR.com.

Pulse Surveys in the Workplace

A few years ago, the American Business Magazine reported that employees who felt happy at their workplace, are productive 80% of the time spent at work. Whereas, those that thought work to be an obligation, felt productive only half of the time.   

Why is it important that your people remain happy and engaged? And how can an organization map their productivity? If these questions come to your mind often, the answer is simple - Pulse surveys conducted by the HR department. What Are Pulse Surveys and How Does It Help? The best way to get this answer is to analyse the status of your own organization.   

Has there been a hike in the attrition rate? Do employees raise too many complaints? Is there a medium through which people can share their ideas and opinions? Pulse surveys will help find the answers to all your work-related issues. Designed with a pre-defined matrix, it helps map the actual pulse (environment) at work. Ensuring that people issues are highlighted as well as addressed, it prevents escalations and helps track people progress. It also provides employee satisfaction, helps boost morale and lays a sound foundation for building a healthier culture. 

Right from tracking transparency in communications, to measuring how effective the perks and policies are, to enhancing peer recognition; pulse surveys also help design a sustainable work-life integration. 

This article was first published on HR.com