What if tenured employees have a worse work ethic than those darned Millennials that everyone talks about? It’s not universally true, but it’s an easy problem for a progressive company to find themselves in the middle of.
Comfortable employees in a company with loads of freedom and benefits might take advantage of a good thing. So while you’re watching the time clock to see who closes up shop early, you can also find new Millennial candidates who outshine tenured employees in motivation, commitment, and good old-fashioned work ethic.
RELATED: How to Attract Millennials to Your Company
Connect with People Who Share Company Values
Employee referrals connect you with candidates who have the right soft skills. Employment Metrix says, “Any time you have a talented, hard-working employee willing to vouch for an unknown candidate, there’s a much greater chance of them being a quality hire, not to mention a cultural fit.” But referrals aren’t easy to find.
Candidate matching, particularly RealMatch technology, is another way to find the right talent. It’s efficient and always on call when you need to hire. And it’s not dependent on who you know or who anyone in your company is connected with.
Candidate matching automatically matches your job ad with people who have the right mix of soft skills and other qualifications. Then with programmatic ad placement, it puts your ad where they’re more likely to see it.
Work ethic knows no generational bounds.
Know What to Look For
Education and skills are easy enough to check out. You’ll have a job application and resume that extol those virtues. Soft skills such as work ethic take a little more craft, but they’re just as important to suss out.
Here are some questions to ask and observations to watch for that Employment Metrix says can help you find the best person for the job, not just one with the longest time in the industry:
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- How do they view work? Is it just a way to pay the bills, or does work give them a sense of purpose?
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- Do they come to the interview prepared? Do they know about your company and the job that they’re applying for?
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- Do they participate heavily in the interview, or let you do all of the talking?
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- Do they seem excited about working for your company?
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- How do they answer when asked to give an example of going above and beyond for a customer or co-worker?
There are a couple of caveats here. Your job ad can’t be mysterious if you expect candidates to do their homework. So “employer name withheld” ads won’t help you find who you’re looking for. And incorporating some blind recruiting techniques can help you avoid preexisting bias, whether it’s against a Millennial or another highly experienced candidate who might not be as much of a slacker as the one you need to replace.
Age and experience don’t always relate to whether or not a candidate is a good fit for your company. But while bias against older workers is a definite “no,” somehow bias against Millennials is practically acceptable.
You’ll find no shortage of articles about how challenging this younger generation is to employ. But instead of giving them the side-eye, remember that the real lazybones in your flexible, forward-thinking organization might just be the one who has been there the longest.
If you’re having trouble building the right team for your company, you might need a new way to approach sourcing and candidate matching.