Problem of the runaway bride

An interesting article which addresses the question - Why did the promising bright star the organisation had zeroed in on, not turn up for work on the appointed day? The author is founder and CEO of a strategic HR Consulting firm.

In today's hot job market, it gives some tips to employers.

- Dilip.

Source: Business Line, Feb 13, 2006

Problem of the runaway bride

Ganesh Chella

Why did the promising bright star the organisation had zeroed in on, not turn up for work on the appointed day?

WHEN journalist Ike (Richard Gere) started tagging Maggie (Julia Roberts) in the 1999 movie Runaway Bride, to find out why she kept abandoning husbands-to-be at the altar he only wanted a good story so that he could get his job back.

However, CEOs, HR leaders and search firm heads today have a lot more at stake as they struggle to figure out why the promising bright star they had zeroed in on did not turn up for work on the appointed day, when even his new business card was printed and ready.

This edition of People Wise examines one of the most frustrating issues in today's extremely buoyant labour market — the problem of the runaway bride or employees.

I still remember the early days of my career. After marriage, children and building a new home, a job change was one of the most-talked-about events. It was well planned and announced in advance. There were multiple farewells on one side and warm receptions on the other.

What's gone wrong today? Why don't they just turn up? Before you hurry to dismiss this as an IT phenomenon, please note that the problem is far more widespread. It is true at senior and junior levels. It happens in all sectors of business. I see four typical protagonists emerging.

The shark

This one is most easy to understand. The prospective employee used you to "up" his earnings. He shopped for the best deal. You were obviously not the best. Meanwhile, he just kept your letter in his pocket — for comfort.

Generally, when young people start looking for a job, they explore several sources at the same time, hoping that at least some of them would work.

Or their CVs might still be on job portals months after they have taken up a job. As a result, they often get multiple offers at or around the same time. So they choose the organisation that pays more. Simple choice!

The Bollywood love triangle

This one resembles a Bollywood love story. The girl agrees to get married to a guy that the family found. Just when the knot is to be tied, the hero emerges and takes the bride away.

Employees quite often kid themselves that a job change is a logical affair. Not true, especially at middle to senior levels. While the prospective employee has made a logical choice, his heart may "still not be there". He might look for something that appeals to his heart. When that happens, he is swept away. Comfort, emotional fit, the feel good factor are all very important.

Most often, the organisation that snatches him away from the intended employer is much more aggressive, blatant and pulls all stops to win his heart, much the same way the movie hero does! In cases where the employee cannot find a saviour organisation, he develops cold feet and just stays on where he is. Any which way you look at it, never underestimate the power of emotions.

Wolf, wolf

This employee shouts wolf, wolf each time a new employer approaches him. His current employer quickly comes to his rescue with a counter-offer and they agree to live happily ever after. But only till he cries wolf, wolf again.

How long he can pull this trick off depends on his skills, the labour market and the vulnerability of his employer. This breed of employees is especially found in large numbers in entrepreneurial and technology organisations and small and medium businesses. A higher salary, promise of greater responsibilities, more attractive work assignments, a foreign trip or posting... you name it! For the organisation, this is cheaper than searching for a replacement. For the employee, the security and comfort afforded by a familiar work place, and the companionship of old friends and work-mates spares him the hassles of adjusting to the new one.

No approval from `home ministry'

Employees quite often initiate job change discussions without weighing the pulls, pressures and demands of the family. They hope they can fix it but realise closer to time that they cannot. There is an entire gamut of reasons — elderly parents who can neither relocate nor be left behind, a spouse whose job is non-transferable, children whose education must not suffer and so on.

In the end, the employee gives up the idea, though quite happily. His own family orientation gets reinforced on such occasions. He quickly realises how important these things are to him. Having examined some of the typical situations, let us now look at some of the more popular counter measures that organisations apply. These fall under what I call defensive and offensive tactics.

Defensive tactics

Provisional offers: Peeved by the fact that employees use their offer letter to negotiate a higher pay elsewhere, many organisations make only a provisional offer to the candidate. They may only indicate the pay and wait for the employee to arrive on the chosen day before they issue the formal letter. This is very common at junior levels.

Hold consultants responsible: It is quite common for organisations to hold their recruitment consultants responsible for the employee joining or staying on for a reasonable tenure. Many do not get paid until this happens.

Hire through referrals: Some organisations believe that if the candidate is chosen through an internal referral process, the chances of his honouring the offer are higher given the emotional pressures. For this reason, a referral source is quite often the first choice today.

Create back ups: More risk-averse organisations are beginning to build back-up plans. Realising the futility of crying over spilt milk, these organisations just get on with life and go after the next best find.

Offensive tactics

Emotional connect: Most employees tend to go through a certain amount of "post-purchase guilt", especially at senior levels. This is where the organisations can step in and do a lot. And many do it quite elegantly.

Most important, their selection processes tend to be so compelling and executed with such suave that it blows the mind of the prospective employee. The most senior executives engage with the candidate, give time, and address every perceivable concern. They start involving the employee in important decisions, invite him to key events, meetings and even get-togethers much before he comes on board. They introduce the employee to his prospective team. They start sending him mails and business related information regularly.

In other words, they start occupying his mind. They make him feel special and never let him think back on his decision. Most have nowadays even begun announcing to the media.

Life altering offer: Organisations making very strategically important hiring decisions do not want to take even the most slender chance. They want it signed, sealed and delivered. Not only is their process savvy. Their offer has the power to alter the life of the prospective employee.

When you do that, you derisk the hiring process so significantly. You are capable of taking the employee completely out of the race and eliminate even the most remote form of competition. On the other hand, when you leave a bit of after-taste in closing the deal, there is always a risk that the employee can look beyond you.

Make it snappy: Nothing succeeds like speed. When the organisation does its homework and then takes the leap of faith with lightning speed, the employee has very little time to think. Sometimes the length of the process tends to increase the anxiety for the employee, forcing him to reconsider his decision.

In the days to come, it is will be hard to find good people and harder still to secure their commitment to join. It can be most frustrating to say the least. You will need to adopt a combination of defensive and offensive tactics to win the game. But before you get there, you will need to certainly decipher the psychology of prospective employees. Knowing what makes candidates accept or reject job offers would help organisations take appropriate measures to increase the joining rate, just as digging into the matter got Ike more than just the knowledge of why Maggie ran away from commitment!

(The author is founder and CEO of totus consulting, a strategic HR Consulting firm that designs and implements HR systems and process for organisations across diverse industries. He can be reached at ganesh@totusconsulting.com)