Unless We Treat It, We Repeat Our Mistakes
- Christine Taylor
- Apr 3
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 5
As part of our consulting, we sometimes cross into developing hiring initiatives for teams (aka business executives and department directors).
Layoffs are a constant in the US labor market — from 2001 to 2019, there were more than 20 million a year. For perspective, in Oct24, there were 1.6 million (USA Facts, 2024). Increases in layoffs reflect poor company management, economic disruption, and/or changing markets... not a person's inability to do a job well.
According to the American Psychological Association's (APA) 2023 Work in America Survey, nearly 1 in 5 American workers report experiencing a toxic workplace.
Lastly, 30% of workers have direct experience being bullied in the workplace, and an additional 19% have witnessed it (Workplace Bullying Institute, 2024). Unless we treat this, we just repeat the mistakes. Instead of writing off people with experience, we think it's more beneficial to understand that toxicity leaves residue and this is an opportunity for you to lead people better.
We've landed on the following 6 insights to share:
1. Invest time in less biased hiring systems; numerous models are available for all business sizes. A quick Google search for 'less biased hiring models' can help.🏆✨🔍
2. Avoid asking for photos, salary requirements, or personal details that hinder evaluating skills and personality. Assign two knowledgeable people to hiring, ensuring transparency and clear communication.🧑🦳🚫📸
3. Don't judge candidates for gaps in employment unless they lack skills. Investing in people fosters loyalty, which is hard to find.🥇💖🤝
4. Consider hiring older candidates; they are often straightforward, skilled, and focused on doing a good job without disruption. With good leadership, shouldn't matter in your workplace.👵💪🌈
5. An upskilling initiative can greatly benefit your business. Promote knowledge sharing through collaboration tools and skill exchange.🎓🤖💬🚀
6. Lead by example; show others how to believe in candidates rather than seek reasons to dismiss them. Have your teams track and "watch" 🌆 by co-creating their KPIs to track the effects of their actions.
Are we missing anything? Let us know, we want to learn from YOU.
