This job is not for you

A company has hired a young man to work in the customer service department. According to his qualifications and experience, he is well suited for the position. However, he is unhappy, unfriendly to both external customers and co-workers and, quite frankly, a rather grumpy customer service person.Does that mean he is not a good employee? On the contrary, this gentleman is great with paperwork, able to work in stressful situations, meet deadlines, and has a great eye for detail. Unfortunately, his lack of great customer service traits overshadows his attributes that could really add value to the organization. {{more}}Consequently, he has been labelled a difficult employee.

Developing a strong workforce requires much more than the ability to pay well and have great training programmes. Employers must first and foremost go beyond just matching employee skills to job requirements in order to get the most from each worker. For some businesses, this is a new concept, as recruiting managers are accustomed to hiring whoever is available or someone who looks good on a résumé. Some employees, on the other hand, apply for a job because they need the money.

In addition to looking at the qualifications and experience a person has, employers must do an in-depth examination of each worker’s skill sets, personality testing, work style evaluation, and even look at the individual’s fit with the culture of the company. Employees themselves must be aware of and discuss their own skills and the types of environments in which they are successful. The generic job interview is not always able to uncover this information.

Organizations that are able to truly undertake this type of matching would be able to see the positive results in the bottom line. Employees who enjoy their jobs are more productive and competitive, creative, less apt to be absent, represent the company well with customers, and truly see themselves as valuable contributors to the organization.

Obviously, the young man mentioned above is not well suited for his customer service position. He would thrive in a department that required minimal direct customer interaction and play more of a supporting role to customer service representatives. Sometimes, great workers are matched to the wrong position and this never gives them the opportunity to shine, nor allow their companies to realize the revenues that could be generated by utilizing their true strengths.

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