Posted February 15, 2024
At DentalPost, we frequently hear from job seekers about the less polite and hospitable environments they work in—sometimes “toxic” environments.
In DentalPost’s 2024 Salary Survey, large numbers of respondents said they wanted to escape to a better work environment, including:
Real improvements can be made to minimize rudeness, gossip, bullying, and negativity through steps like these:
Below is additional information and interview tips to help you avoid making a costly bad hire.
In a poll of 800 managers and employees, researchers at Georgetown and Arizona State University found that 80% of workers who had witnessed or been the recipient of rudeness lost work time worrying about it. 78% said their commitment to the organization had declined, and 66% said their productivity declined.
Even during a labor shortage, I advise replacing a disruptively rude employee. Especially during a labor shortage, we need to maintain high team morale. BUT–wouldn’t it be wonderful to avoid bringing incivility into the workplace from the beginning? You can do just that by better screening your job candidates.
I recommend pre-planning your interviews to include questions that will help you assess the true nature of job candidates regarding how positively they will interact with and support others on the team.
One aspect of interviewing candidates is their tendency to tell you what they think you want to hear. Asking various open questions and encouraging them to use examples in their answers promotes more candor. If an answer is short, press the candidate to tell you more. You might say, “I’m curious to know more about what you think. Tell me more. Do you have an example from your own experience?”
LOOK FOR MULTIPLE ANSWERS LIKE THESE:
LOOK FOR MULTIPLE ANSWERS LIKE THESE:
LOOK FOR MULTIPLE ANSWERS LIKE THESE:
Candidates who have decided to take the next step in the application and interview process will likely be on their best behavior. In our eagerness to fill the position, we may miss important cues. To assess if a candidate is genuinely interested in other people and their welfare, strategically ask yourself these questions after the interview:
We want to feel assured that our top candidate is high on civility and driven to serve others.
Debrief with yourself and your team after a candidate has been interviewed. Did the candidate leave you with the impression that:
What actual signs of “civility” or “incivility” did you hear or see in the candidate’s words, tone of voice, and body language? List them and be objective as you mentally process what they mean.
In the excitement of attracting someone to fill our open position, it’s in our best interest to intentionally check whether we see the signs that someone is the civil and genuinely caring (team-worthy) person we need.
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