Testing Times

As we brought together the first ever High Profile newsletter, all of us at Caliper were acutely aware of the news in the press that the UK economy was in a downturn. This, we were told, would lead to companies tightening their metaphorical belts and would ultimately mean fewer new jobs in 2008. In tandem with this, employees would choose to stay put in a company where their length of service gave them some sense of job security or at the very least employment rights, should they lose their jobs through redundancy.

It always pains me when I hear that the first knee jerk reaction is to place a moratorium on recruitment. Whilst an employer has a social responsibility to safeguard the employment of existing staff, I fear such decisions are sometimes made without a real understanding of what staffing levels are required for the company to function effectively without letting customers down. In addition, when staff numbers have been slimmed down to a minimum and departments are already stretched, it can add further to the stress that existing staff members are under. This can then lead to increased absenteeism and even litigation.

Don’t get me wrong…I think it is equally foolish to over-staff in buoyant times. Employees who do not have enough to do can feel under valued, bored and even stressed when they can do little to make a difference.

What is important, however, is for any company to be clear what staffing levels are necessary to both function efficiently and to prosper. Once you know this, the next stage is to be sure that the people are up to the job.

An employee appraisal I read recently stated: “This young lady has delusions of adequacy”. At Caliper our premise is “employees who are fundamentally suited to their job will be happier and more successful”. Put someone in the right job, where they play to their strengths, and they will not be adequate…they will be top performers who thrive and so help you as a company to thrive also. However simplistic this may seem, just look around you…how many people do you work with who are just getting by? They may be doing an “OK” job, but could their performance be enhanced if certain aspects of their work were different? Likewise, what about your Rising Stars…do you know who they are? What if you have a team member who has the potential to lead and may rise to the challenge, given the chance? Caliper’s assessment services can help you to understand the motivations and potential of your candidates and your existing staff, as well as showing commitment to your existing team as they and you face the challenges of the year ahead.

Enjoy High Profile; we value your comments and suggestions. Finally, I wish you and all your team the very best for 2008.

Sally Duff
Managing Director