Many believe that there is a major shift happening in the business landscape. There are significant, long-term forces that are shaping the way businesses are able to produce returns. As the recession lingers on, there is a growing consensus that “business as usual” may never return. 
Does that mean that the recession will last forever? Of course not. But it does mean that the way businesses bounced back after a recession in the past will not likely repeat itself. More specifically, the previous employment options enjoyed by many may be gone for good.
Last week, I alerted you to a series of articles (1, 2) that Harvard Business Review recently published on leadership in the workforce following the September 2008 financial crisis and ensuing recession. In an article titled, The Big Shift, the authors make the point that traditional business measurements no longer capture the challenges and opportunities for companies. This is occuring due to fundamental shifts in how businesses contribute to the economy.
This is all pretty heady stuff, and some of it is quite interesting. I’m not sure anyone can fully understand or predict what is going to happen, but it is fascinating to pour through all the ideas and theories.
What does all of this have to do with you? If you’re a recruiter or hiring manager, you’re going to see the effects of this shift in your candidates, new hires, and existing employees. Individuals may not have a full understanding of what is happening, but they can sense changes in the air, and that will impact their behavior.
As individuals attempt to process these changes, one of the early symptoms to look for is passion. There are two important trends in this area worth noting:
1. Talented workers are passionate about control:
“Self-employed people are more than twice as likely to be passionate about their work as those who work for firms, according to a survey we conducted. This suggests a potential red flag for institutional leaders—companies appear to have difficulty holding on to passionate workers.”
If you’re not able to offer candidates at least some level of autonomy in their new position, you’re at a disadvantage. It is difficult for people to concentrate on the grand vision of the company when the ground is shifting under their feet. Giving them something small and contained that they can control may be much more appealing.
2. Talented workers are passionate about working with other high-quality people:
“The initial findings from our research indicate a correlation between the rapidly growing use of social media and the increasing knowledge that flows between organizations. Worker passion also appears to be an important amplifier: When people are engaged in their work and pushing the performance envelope, they seek ways to connect with others who share their passion and who can help them get better faster.”
The principle here is pretty simple: If you want to tap the passion of a talented new hire, put them around the highest quality people possible. Shielding your existing best performers from involvement with newly hired employees is a mistake. You’ll not only fail to engage the passion of the new employee, but you’ll miss an opportunity to rekindle the passion of your top performers.
Making an effort to tap the passion of your candidates and employees will always produce a return, regardless of which direction the business landscape shifts…
