The Importance of Empathy in Hiring
The common traits that most organizations look for when hiring new employees include qualifications, hard and soft skills, problem-solving ability, and more. However, most of them miss out on adding an essential trait in the list that’s often the difference between a great employee and a good one. That trait or quality is empathy. Organizations should ensure that their hiring strategy features empathy as an essential quality that potential candidates need to be considered for a role.
The Role of Empathy in the Workplace
People with this quality are often very flexible with their approach. They can change their approach according to circumstances as they can understand people and the situation they are in. These people might not be great at selling things or have exceptional technical ability, but that’s not what they are known for and asked to do. Their role is to get things done at any cost. People with empathy can put themselves in different shoes and understand perspectives that not many other people can. That is why they are delivering solutions that are in line with the needs of almost everyone involved. So, the hiring strategy for every organization should not just be around finding someone who can get the work done but also understanding why it needs to be done from both the company’s and managers’ perspective.
Empathy as a Key to Business Success
Organizations need to understand that employees with empathy will not only bind the team together no matter the situation but also help achieve business success and growth. However, it is not as easy to evaluate candidates for empathy. So, it is essential to know the questions required to be asked to figure out whether or not they have empathy.
Evaluating Empathy Through Interview Questions
First question: What, according to them, are the critical skills that a manager should look for in a candidate interviewing for the same role that they are? Now, the answer will make the interviewee think about all the skills that a candidate needs to have that are important for them to succeed in their role and their company and manager. A candidate who is open to looking at all these different perspectives is more likely to make the right decisions in crucial times.
Second question: What, according to them, are the challenges that they and their team could face in the time to come? This question will have different candidates talk about different challenges. However, the best answers will discuss challenges directly or indirectly related to the organization’s success and growth. Candidates with empathy will present a broader perspective about challenges that they and their team might face. On the other hand, people with a narrow view usually focus on themselves.
Third question: What would they like to improve in the existing business model? To answer this, candidates will again have to shift all the focus on the organization. People who focus too much on themselves will not be able to come up with the correct answer. People who can see the big picture are more likely to find areas that need to be looked at in a company’s business model.
Reference: 4 Questions to Ask Applicants to Assess Their Empathy | Glassdoor | Sebastian Bryers | September 21, 2021
