Today's visit is a reprint of: The "Aha!" Report #18, September 28, 2006, by
Dr. Wendell Williams.
Wendell is one of the top people in the country at helping business leaders
determine whether employee candidates are actually capable of performing the
tasks for which they're being hired. I've introduced him to several clients
already, and they have all been thrilled with his insights, his services and his
ability to cull the weak links.
This particular article has significance to sales, because it's yet one more
example of how implementing even the simplest of measurements can drastically
improve any result.
In other words, it's a great follow-up to:
- My initial piece on the importance of measuring. (Note: Oct. 6 was the four-month anniversary of getting on
the scale. As of that morning, I weighed 179 pounds -- that's a 25-pound
weight loss in four months. <Very Big Grin>)
- The four-part
series on measuring your sales funnel -- 1 2 3 4 -- that I just finished.
Slam The Door Slowly
Those of us in the hiring business can’t be blamed for thinking too much about hiring, can we? We focus obsessively on attracting candidates, screening them, and bringing them on board. Hopefully this includes things like scientific testing (good), data-based selection (better), and ongoing performance appraisal to analyze our success (best).
But when employees quit, we’re not much interested. Their departure typically provides a data point for retention statistics, plus a rather unpleasant formality known as the exit interview. This is a shame, because, along with the box of junk from their desks, these ex-employees are walking out the door with a lot of valuable information. And I don’t mean company secrets – but vital data on why once-promising hires fail on the job.
Getting The Most Out Of Exit Interviews
All too often, the only thing exit interviews really provide is a format for dumping bad feelings. What they should be are opportunities to gather the most honest feedback an employee is willing to provide; that is, if you know what to ask -- and if you’re ready to hear the answers.
If we divide performance factors logically into broad categories, we might identify the following failure factors:
1. The person did not have the skills to do the job.
This first factor is the primary cause of job failure, not because applicants lie outright about their qualifications (although they do "spin"), but because the organization often does a bad job of defining the right competencies, or of measuring whether the applicant has job skills to match them.
Job skills go deeper than OJT [on-the-job- training] or resume bullet points. They include being smart enough to learn and solve problems associated with the job; being organized enough to get work done; having the right interpersonal skills to get things done with other people; and having the right attitudes, interests, and motivations to use the first three skills. Unskilled employees (or if you prefer, those with the wrong skills) will always wind up with job failure and dissatisfaction.
Here are some exit interview questions you might want to ask to discover whether your hiring process is improperly assessing skills:
- When you were hired, did the interviewer really know if you had job skills or not?
- Were you tested (during the application stage) for all the skills you needed to do the job?
- Did the job match what you expected?
- What part of the job was easy for you? Hard for you?
2. The person's manager hindered the employee's performance.
The second most common factor associated with job dissatisfaction is an employee's immediate manager. This person has the power to make an employee's job either wonderful or miserable. I myself have been in several jobs where I went from "fair-haired child" to "redheaded stepchild" overnight. The only thing that changed was my manager.
In all cases, the new managers had impaired management skills. One had a toxic paranoid style that decimated his department; another was a neurotic attorney who never held department meetings, stole company contracts, and expected subordinates to read his mind; and the third was an obsessive-compulsive micromanager. They all interviewed well, but they destroyed employees and were eventually terminated.
Some exit interview questions can help uncover supervisor problems:
- How were you treated by your supervisor? Friendly? Helpful? Respectful?
- Did your manager help you anticipate or coach you through problems?
Treatment by immediate supervisors is among the primary complaints of employees. It is also a major reason for unionization efforts (i.e., the employees seek third-party protection). A good first-line supervisor develops a concerned, developmental relationship with his or her subordinates. Toxic front-line supervisors destroy employee productivity.
3. The organization did not provide the necessary training.
The third failure factor is absence of training. We are not talking about training that changes behavior, but training that provides specific direction, knowledge, and skills to perform the job effectively.
Here are some exit interview questions relating to training issues:
- Did you receive adequate initial training to perform the job? What kind?
- Was training related to job performance?
Good training will not turn the proverbial sow's ear into a silk purse, but poor or inadequate training can significantly interfere with productivity.
4. The organization hindered employee performance.
The fourth factor is the overall environment. This includes things like wages, working conditions, opportunities for enrichment or advancement, and providing the resources to do the job. I worked in two companies where we had to share a single computer among several people. In another company, the president had two assistants, while the rest of the company had to share one assistant four ways. I'm sure you have dozens of your own horror stories.
Some exit interview questions pertaining to work environment:
- Was there anything in the environment that kept you from doing your best? Working conditions? Benefits? Compensation?
- Did other departments help or hinder your performance?
Everyone complains about money and benefits. But they are seldom the “real” reason people terminate unless their organizations are at the trailing edge of the competition. Look instead for factors that hindered or frustrated a well-intentioned employee.
Exit interviews are an excellent time to gather valuable information -- providing you use a systematic approach and are prepared to act on the answers you receive.
Bottom line? Hire well, get out of the way, and don't screw it up! And if all else fails, don’t let the door hit them on the way out.
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Dr. R. Wendell Williams
About the Author ...
Dr. R. Wendell Williams, founder and managing director of Scientific Selection, is a bottom-line consultant with a message: how to avoid nonsense HR practices, identify top employees, and manage their performance effectively. He combines deep practical experience with academic training to produce competency systems that actually work, tests that accurately predict success, appraisal tools that clarify performance, and HR systems that follow EEOC guidelines.
A self-described “test geek,” Wendell has both a PhD in industrial psychology and an MBA. He is widely quoted nationally and internationally, and is a regular author in ERE Daily, among other publications. He is a member of the American Psychological Association, the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, and the Association of Test Publishers.
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email: [email protected]
phone: (770) 792-6857
web: http://www.scientificselection.com
Copyright 2006 ScientificSelection.com, LLC | 36 Emerson Hill Square | Marietta | GA | 30060
This reprint was authorized by ScientificSelection.com, LLC.
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Gill E. Wagner, Sage of Selling
President of Honest Selling
Founder of the Yellow-Tie International Business Development Association