Vet People With a Fun "Outside" the Office-Box Hack

One business owner I know vets prospective employees by taking them to Starbucks and covertly telling the barista to make the order wrong.

Depending on the position he’s hiring for, he observes how the potential future member of his team reacts — does the person get angry, let it slide, tactfully attempt to rectify the situation?

Whether you’re hiring someone or considering going into business with them, determining if the candidate aligns with your company’s goals is an accurate forecast of future success and directly equates to saved time and money. 

According to a 2019 Glassdoor Cost-Per-Hire study, the average U.S. employer spends about $4,000 and 24 days to hire new workers, not including the time it later takes to train them.

While resumes and interviews are a great way to make sure a person meets basic standards and checks all the boxes, some forward-thinking companies have been trending towards taking people outside to get a glimpse of what they’re really like.

BUILD FAST RAPPORT

Spending time on a company hike, kayak, SUP, or beach cruiser tour is a great way to cut through the facade of manicured office decorum and create real moments for connection through shared experiences.

Outdoor team adventures are a powerful way to quickly build rapport with someone you might otherwise only have had the chance to know during brief emails, calls, and meetings. They are also a great way to build company culture.

Kayaking the Newport Harbor is a great way to shake things up and get to know someone outside the office.

THE ROI

Such events show employees that a company cares, making a much greater impact than telling them as much with a few inspiring lines on an about page.

The ROI of reducing employee turnover is hard to deny when finding and keeping the right people comes with so many extra benefits. It’s easier and less expensive than most people realize. By working with experienced adventurers and team building connoisseurs such as Expert Active, a company can save money, have fun, and build camaraderie and culture by (quite literally) thinking “outside” the box.