Part III
We have been exploring a host of topics around recruitment, retention, employee wants and now we will take the 2nd part of What Employers Want and then try and reconcile the difference between what Employee’s Want and What Employer’s Really Want. Our first part of Employer’s Wants, included detail on Want #1: Inspired Employees.
There have been many author’s and even a basketball coach who have detailed that they are looking for PHD’s although many have various versions of the acronym. Mine is a blend-Employer’s Want:PhD’s:
PhD
Passion: is often used as a verb but while recruiting assess it as a noun. Passion is the keen intersection of one’s superpower, brilliance, genius, strengths, sweet spot, in conjunction with what the company needs, and what the market is willing to reward. Some people think if you are a fan, or a fanatic that it is passion but that is passion as a verb. The market does not economically reward being a fan of any sports team or relatedly participation as an enthusiast in any hobby. Passion is indeed often referred to as your “why”, your conviction, or fire in the belly. In Dead Poet’s Society, they refer to it as “your verse” and Springsteen, in his autobiography, refers to it as “your sword”. It is closely aligned with your purpose and your calling.
They key of course is that the prospective employee knows their strengths and passion and this can only be determined through structured interviews and instruments, including my long term favorite Strengthfinders. In my experience, inspired employees, my favorite “want” is more easily seen when the employee knows and can exploit their passion.
In the award winning film and one of my personal favorites, Chariots of Fire, two runners cross paths at the 1924 Olympics. Harold Abrahams, English student at Cambridge and Eric Liddell, a Scottish Christian of missionary parents. When Eric accidentally misses a church prayer meeting because of his running, his sister accuses him of no longer caring about God. Eric tells her that he plans to return to the China mission, he feels divinely inspired when running and that not to run would be to dishonor God, saying, “I believe that God made me with a purpose. But he also made me fast and when I run, I feel His pleasure”. In my experience, you want to recruit teammates who feel this “pleasure” in their work or what Mihaly Csikszentmihaly has referred to as “flow state” or that feeling when a person is performing an activity and is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of activity. It is complete absorption in what one does, resulting in one’s sense of space or time as though time has stopped.
Drive: Employer’s want those who strive to be the best in class. For physical and Occupational therapists and assistants (refer to all as PT’s) that means we want them to become board certified or master clinicians via advanced learnings and competencies. Drive generally refers to self-directed effort, volition, persistence, resiliency, and conation. Conation is one of my favorite words in the dictionary and is the idea that in order to stop me you are going to have to kill me! Drive according to social neuroscience research is enhanced in an environment of autonomy, pursuit of mastery, and sense of purpose.
But how can you intersect employee wants with employer wants? How can you create a culture or an environment that holds both sides of this accountable? The best method I have seen in action is a bilateral assessment in the form of another acronym that has many forms. A reflection question.
Do I H.A.V.E. it?
H-Humility-or as it is more classically known in the research as Intellectual Humility or IH. In essence, the ingredient of IH makes us better learners, open to new ideas, not worried about being “right” or as CS Lewis best stated, “It’s not thinking less of yourself but in thinking of yourself less”.
Intellectual humility is a cognitive skill and represents the understanding the limits of one’s knowledge. It’s a state of openness to new ideas (curiosity), a willingness to be receptive to new sources of evidence, and it comes with specific benefits. People with IH are both better learners and better able to engage in civil discourse. IH involves and accurate view of self and the ability to regulate egotism and cultivate an other-oriented stance. IH does not mean meek or mild. In application, IH is the willingness to admit mistakes, enjoy others success, and be confident without needing acclaim.
Authenticity-This is one of the words in the English language that is easier seen and felt rather than described. In the context of recruiting, authenticity refers to the alignment between a candidate’s true self, values, and behaviors, and the image they present during the recruitment process. It involves being genuine, transparent, and honest about one’s skills, experiences, and motivations. Employers who prioritize authenticity in their recruitment efforts seek candidates who are sincere and who will bring their true selves to the workplace, fostering a culture of trust and openness.
For example, a candidate who is authentic during the recruitment process might openly discuss their strengths and weaknesses, share genuine stories about their past experiences, and communicate their career aspirations honestly. They would not exaggerate their qualifications or pretend to be someone they are not just to impress the employer. This authenticity can help the employer make a more informed decision about the candidate’s fit for the role and the organization’s culture.
Vulnerability-or relatedly psychological safety.An employee can ask if they are vulnerable, an employer whether or not they have created a psychological safe place. Psychological safety is a “shared belief, held by members of a team, that the group is a safe place for taking risks’ and be willing to say without hesitation, “I messed up” Psychological safety is the belief that one will not be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes. A great way to know if you if you are in the right framework of psychological safety is in how as a company you tolerate and embrace bad news. Is it ok or safe place for bad news? Does the employee get the message that they are cared for and know that they want to be heard? A culture that demonstrates cared for employees fosters a service where patients will also know they are at a place where they in turned are also cared.
Empathy. This is a multidemensional construct that involves cognitive/perspective taking, emotional/affective, and prosocial concern, all in an environment of Non-judgement. . For a deep dive, this is a topic that I have written extensively on in past posts as well as in Called to Care.
The most challenging aspect of healthcare right now is scarcity of providers. Hopefully these posts have helped guide, rethink, or provided additional insights.
Thoughts?
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