The Future Of Hiring: Balancing Skills & Cultural Alignment
LipikaVerma, Vice President - Human Resources, Schneider Electric
LipikaVerma, Vice President - Human Resources, Schneider Electric in an interaction with Higher Education Review, shares the importance of balancing technical skills with cultural alignment during recruitment and emphasizes that hiring should be based on the alignment of both job-based skills and company values. She is a strategic HR leader with over 28 years of experience across various industries.
Finding the right talent requires a mix of skills, skills assessment, and cultural fit evaluation. How can organizations balance technical skills with cultural alignment during recruitment?
It’s important for any organization to consider candidates who possess a blend of technical and behavioral skills. Additionally, hiring individuals who fit the company culture is essential. Several factors come into play during this process. When assessing a candidate’s fit in terms of both technical and behavioral skills, we focus on identifying the specific competencies required for the role. Whether for a position at Schneider Electric or any other company I have worked with, we always evaluate the exact technical skills and expertise necessary for the job, keeping the role’s description in mind alongside the desired behavioral attributes.
For junior-level positions, you might find candidates who can collaborate effectively in teams, but they also need to demonstrate individual contribution. In contrast, when hiring for middle or senior management roles, leadership skills become crucial. Beyond technical capabilities, certain behavioral traits must be prominent in candidates, varying based on the position level and specific role requirements. Job descriptions clearly outline the technical and behavioral skills we seek.
Thus, it’s essential to find candidates who possess this skill mix, ensuring a strong match between our expectations and what the candidate offers. On the cultural alignment side of recruitment, understanding an individual’s values is key. A person’s upbringing, environment, and previous workplaces shape their mindset, making it vital to align our organizational values with those of potential employees. Currently, there’s a significant focus on values and how well candidates resonate with the company’s defined principles.
For example, if a company emphasizes teamwork, the candidate should also value collaboration, rather than being solely focused on individual performance. It’s crucial for the new hire to be in sync with the organization and its values. Ultimately, aligning the employee’s values with the company’s is what matters. Therefore, during the assessment process, it’s essential to evaluate not only technical competencies but also behavioral traits and cultural fit.
”To enhance diversity, companies are taking various steps in their hiring and management practices. In addition to this, there is a strong focus on inclusion, with many companies implementing sensitization and unconscious bias programs”
A diverse and inclusive workforce drives innovation and better decision-making. What steps can companies take to create a more inclusive workplace culture?
Extensive research has shown the importance of implementing DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) practices within organizations. It’s essential for every organization to prioritize these aspects. A diverse workforce brings varied perspectives, which fosters innovation and helps the organization meet
its business objectives. Consequently, having a diverse and inclusive workforce is vital for any company.
Organizations are adopting various initiatives to promote diversity, which extends beyond just gender to include individuals from different countries, ethnicities, races, and backgrounds. This diversity encourages unique ways of thinking, and historical research indicates that teams with diverse perspectives achieve significantly positive results.
To enhance diversity, companies are taking various steps in their hiring and management practices. In addition to this, there is a strong focus on inclusion, with many companies implementing sensitization and unconscious bias programs. These initiatives aim to raise awareness and educate employees while ensuring a diverse workforce. Managers are also being coached to adopt more inclusive behaviours in their work.
Overall, numerous interventions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion are being implemented across different organizations, resulting in growth, innovative thinking, and evolution in their development processes.
Employee well-being is directly linked to productivity and retention. What strategies can businesses use to support employee mental health and work-life balance?
Well-being refers to the overall happiness of employees, encompassing mental, social, emotional, and physical aspects. When individuals feel fulfilled in these areas, their performance improves, which directly correlates to increased productivity. Thus, well-being and performance are interconnected: being happy leads to better performance, and improved performance enhances well-being. Because of this relationship, companies are actively working to boost employee well-being across all four dimensions, now including a fifth: financial well-being.
It’s crucial for employers to support employees in all these areas. The pandemic, and its aftermath, has significantly heightened mental stress among employees. This stress peaked during the COVID-19 crisis, prompting many companies to implement initiatives aimed at promoting mental health and work-life balance.
Today, there are various approaches to support mental health, such as employee assistance programs that provide counselling for employees and their families. Additionally, sessions led by managers and resource groups encourage physical activity and mental wellness.
Furthermore, in today’s world, people seek flexibility in both their personal and professional lives. They desire personalized benefits, which has led many companies to focus on offering greater flexibility. This includes balancing work and life more meaningfully through hybrid work m o d e l s , work-from-home policies, and allowing employees to plan their meetings according to their preferences. Companies are also offering more flexibility in selecting holidays, moving away from rigid holiday policies.
Ultimately, the current focus is on work-life integration rather than just balance, recognizing that the lines between work, home, and personal life are increasingly blurred.
Finding the right talent requires a mix of skills, skills assessment, and cultural fit evaluation. How can organizations balance technical skills with cultural alignment during recruitment?
It’s important for any organization to consider candidates who possess a blend of technical and behavioral skills. Additionally, hiring individuals who fit the company culture is essential. Several factors come into play during this process. When assessing a candidate’s fit in terms of both technical and behavioral skills, we focus on identifying the specific competencies required for the role. Whether for a position at Schneider Electric or any other company I have worked with, we always evaluate the exact technical skills and expertise necessary for the job, keeping the role’s description in mind alongside the desired behavioral attributes.
For junior-level positions, you might find candidates who can collaborate effectively in teams, but they also need to demonstrate individual contribution. In contrast, when hiring for middle or senior management roles, leadership skills become crucial. Beyond technical capabilities, certain behavioral traits must be prominent in candidates, varying based on the position level and specific role requirements. Job descriptions clearly outline the technical and behavioral skills we seek.
Thus, it’s essential to find candidates who possess this skill mix, ensuring a strong match between our expectations and what the candidate offers. On the cultural alignment side of recruitment, understanding an individual’s values is key. A person’s upbringing, environment, and previous workplaces shape their mindset, making it vital to align our organizational values with those of potential employees. Currently, there’s a significant focus on values and how well candidates resonate with the company’s defined principles.
For example, if a company emphasizes teamwork, the candidate should also value collaboration, rather than being solely focused on individual performance. It’s crucial for the new hire to be in sync with the organization and its values. Ultimately, aligning the employee’s values with the company’s is what matters. Therefore, during the assessment process, it’s essential to evaluate not only technical competencies but also behavioral traits and cultural fit.
”To enhance diversity, companies are taking various steps in their hiring and management practices. In addition to this, there is a strong focus on inclusion, with many companies implementing sensitization and unconscious bias programs”
A diverse and inclusive workforce drives innovation and better decision-making. What steps can companies take to create a more inclusive workplace culture?
Extensive research has shown the importance of implementing DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) practices within organizations. It’s essential for every organization to prioritize these aspects. A diverse workforce brings varied perspectives, which fosters innovation and helps the organization meet
its business objectives. Consequently, having a diverse and inclusive workforce is vital for any company.
Organizations are adopting various initiatives to promote diversity, which extends beyond just gender to include individuals from different countries, ethnicities, races, and backgrounds. This diversity encourages unique ways of thinking, and historical research indicates that teams with diverse perspectives achieve significantly positive results.
To enhance diversity, companies are taking various steps in their hiring and management practices. In addition to this, there is a strong focus on inclusion, with many companies implementing sensitization and unconscious bias programs. These initiatives aim to raise awareness and educate employees while ensuring a diverse workforce. Managers are also being coached to adopt more inclusive behaviours in their work.
Overall, numerous interventions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion are being implemented across different organizations, resulting in growth, innovative thinking, and evolution in their development processes.
Employee well-being is directly linked to productivity and retention. What strategies can businesses use to support employee mental health and work-life balance?
Well-being refers to the overall happiness of employees, encompassing mental, social, emotional, and physical aspects. When individuals feel fulfilled in these areas, their performance improves, which directly correlates to increased productivity. Thus, well-being and performance are interconnected: being happy leads to better performance, and improved performance enhances well-being. Because of this relationship, companies are actively working to boost employee well-being across all four dimensions, now including a fifth: financial well-being.
It’s crucial for employers to support employees in all these areas. The pandemic, and its aftermath, has significantly heightened mental stress among employees. This stress peaked during the COVID-19 crisis, prompting many companies to implement initiatives aimed at promoting mental health and work-life balance.
Today, there are various approaches to support mental health, such as employee assistance programs that provide counselling for employees and their families. Additionally, sessions led by managers and resource groups encourage physical activity and mental wellness.
Furthermore, in today’s world, people seek flexibility in both their personal and professional lives. They desire personalized benefits, which has led many companies to focus on offering greater flexibility. This includes balancing work and life more meaningfully through hybrid work m o d e l s , work-from-home policies, and allowing employees to plan their meetings according to their preferences. Companies are also offering more flexibility in selecting holidays, moving away from rigid holiday policies.
Ultimately, the current focus is on work-life integration rather than just balance, recognizing that the lines between work, home, and personal life are increasingly blurred.
