Sourcing candidates who are well-suited to jobs that require repetitive and mundane tasks —such as those often associated with data entry or technical writing positions — is often a unique challenge for hiring managers.
While there are likely to be applicants who thrive with routine and unvaried work, prospective employees may believe they are better at repetitious tasks than they will be once on the job. In these cases, an initially enthusiastic and productive employee may eventually lose their motivation over time, and their productivity can decline as a result.
Evaluating Tolerance for Repetition During the Hiring Process
As is true with any misstep in the hiring process, mistakes made when hiring the wrong employees for repetitive work can take a while to show up. Once they do, another round of hiring and training are often needed at the company’s expense. Below are three ways to ensure candidates are providing a clear picture of their suitability for jobs requiring recurring tasks.
1. History May Repeat Itself
A close look at work history is a good place to begin evaluating an applicant’s propensity for repetition on the job. Do titles or job descriptions of previous career stops contain evidence of unvaried work? Are there clues that an employee has left a job, or succeeded in a role, related to requirements for tedious work?
2. Adaptable Candidates Are Best
This kind of mechanical job might seem to be devoid of challenges, but they are not. Repeating processes still undergo quality improvements and other changes over time, and change can lead to employee stress. Also, routine work may include pressure to perform, such as an expectation of production per hour or per day, which can be too demanding for some employees.
For these reasons, a candidate’s adaptability to change, as well as the ability to perform under pressure comes into play in many roles with repetition. Flexible, stress tolerant workers will likely be the best choices for most any type of job, including those requiring tedious tasks.
3. Pre-employment Testing Provides a Preview
Once you get past what you can find by looking at a candidate’s background, a pre-employment personality test can reveal information on whether a candidate’s personality is suited for work that demands the stamina to stay on task for extended periods, a tolerance for change, and performance under pressure. Well-designed pre-employment assessments are great tools that will collect evidence that presents an accurate picture of a candidate’s personality.
Tailor Work Conditions to Personality
There is evidence that re-structuring work to include fewer repetitive tasks may lead to obtaining better employee performance in a role. Just as personality should be considered when hiring for a role, it might be worth considering if and how a job’s requirements could be altered to accommodate personal work styles.
If you are having difficulty with turnover in a role with repetitious tasks, even when appropriate measures were taken to hire carefully, it may be time to consider making changes to the duties and requirements of the job to include less monotony.
Perhaps implementing job rotations, having contests, extending bonuses, or offering training opportunities to employees interested in advancement could improve employee satisfaction and retention.
Careful Hiring and Reducing Turnover
Finding the right candidates for roles with routine work requires a careful approach, as hiring the wrong person is an easy and costly mistake.
A careful hiring process using evidence collection including work background and personality assessment will aid in finding a suitable fit. If there is still high turnover in the role, however, it might be in the company’s best interest to reduce the number of tasks expected of the employee.
Employers should also consider creative and motivational ways to retain new employees. Some options include implementing job rotations, gamification, extending bonuses, or offering training opportunities to employees interested in advancement.
Looking at job history, seeking out adaptable candidates, evaluating personality, and adapting job requirements can go a long way in overcoming hiring challenges.
