According to recent research conducted by CV-Library, professionals across the UK could be missing out on job opportunities due to nepotism in the workplace. This is an extremely worrying trend which could be preventing businesses from hiring the very best talent, an essential key to organisational productivity and growth.
Whether it’s intentional or not, businesses are built of diverse groups who have feelings and personalities and, unfortunately, this can lead to clouded judgement. Eliminating nepotism entirely is a slightly unrealistic solution to the problem, but the good news is that it can be proactively managed. Below, Lee Biggins, the founder and managing director of CV-Library, provides clear best practice advice for HR teams on handling nepotism in the workplace.
Create a fair workplace
Over a third of workers have seen favoured colleagues receive preferential treatment, with 22.4 per cent reporting that they know colleagues get away with things that others would be disciplined for. Businesses that promote this as an acceptable way to operate will simply drive great talent away that could have potentially been a good investment for the organisation, therefore, prioritising the creation of a fair workplace – alongside equal opportunities – is extremely important.
Look for the whole package
People can make or break a company. While hiring people that ‘fit’ into the culture of the business is fundamental, employers should pay particular attention to ensuring they are bringing in the very best talent. That said, our research found that 27.9 per cent of employees have witnessed a candidate get a job that they are not qualified for. Ensuring that you have strict criteria of the type of person you want to employ is key to finding a suitable employee.
Implement a multi-stage interview process
Recruitment can be a tough world and it’s understandable that employers want to hire someone that they like. Implementing a multi-stage interview process can provide managers with an extra opportunity to establish whether a candidate has the right skill-set and experience to do the job well and, ultimately, drive the business forward. If the answer’s no, then it’s best to wait for the right person – finding the ideal hire is much more cost effective in the long run than having to manage the wrong candidate.
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And if you don’t…
Employees that witness preferential treatment will likely feel resentful, demotivated and separated from their manager, as well as the rest of the workforce. And, if they think their talent is going unnoticed, and that colleagues can get ahead by other means, they’ll probably look for other job opportunities.
The role of HR is crucial in tackling nepotism in UK workplaces. It’s essential that HR professionals’ action a smooth and fair recruitment process; ensuring that the most qualified candidates are being put forward for the right roles. Fortunately, the job market seems to be flourishing with plenty of skilled candidates looking for jobs, indicating that organisations now have a wider talent pool to choose from.
Lee Biggins is the founder and managing director of CV-Library, the UK’s leading independent job board. From an early age, he exhibited an entrepreneurial spirit. From selling cold cans of coke to fishermen on hot days, to running his own car washing empire as a teenager, this spirit carried through to the developmental days of CV-Library.
