Why Values are an Important Factor in Recruitment

Have you ever wondered why you get along with some people and not others – or why some crew members instantly click with the team while others just never seem to blend in? The answer is values. Values are the big WHY behind everything we do. They are like our hidden inner GPS system, unconsciously guiding us to like or dislike certain people and situations, and they are the foundation of all our choices. Put simply, when our values are met we are happy – and when they are conflicted we are unhappy, annoyed and sometimes even downright mad.

This makes values an important factor in hiring. To begin with values are the very essence of your yacht’s ‘brand’ – an essential part of the blueprint for success I mentioned in last week’s article. Your yacht’s values dictate your team’s standards and priorities and are the glue that holds your team together. This is why when you are hiring you want to attract people whose values profile is a good match for those of your yacht.

Most crew CVs showcase their skills and expertise, but say very little about their personal values and principles – yet values are often a much stronger indicator on whether the person would be suitable for the position and for your yacht.

Here are 3 ways you can use values to get better results when hiring:

Establish and advertise values:

To attract like-minded people you need to be up-front about your yacht’s values. Define your values clearly and include them in your briefs to agencies, adverts for new crew and correspondence with people who apply for positions. In this way you are giving people an opportunity to know upfront if they will be a good fit. You are then more likely to attract candidates whose values profile is a good match for your yacht. For example you might emphasis values such as: integrity, Loyalty, Responsibility, Co-operation, Professionalism, Teamwork and Accountability when writing your job description.

Ask about values in interviews:

Ask each candidate what they understand by the term ‘values’ and what their personal values are. If they’re not sure, ask them to tell you what’s important to them in life, and at work, and what they derive from that. It’s also good to get them to explain their definition of their values, so for example if they say ‘respect’ ask them how they show respect for people in their day to day life and what respect means to them. If they say ‘teamwork’ or ‘collaboration’ ask them to share an experience of how they collaborated on a project. When you uncover a candidate’s core values you will be able to hire people whose values are aligned to yours, creating a team that is more motivated and committed to the success of the yacht and crew.

Highlight values during induction:

When new crew join, include values in the induction process. Explain how certain tasks relate back to the yacht’s core values and this will add significance to their responsibilities. Involve existing crew in this as well as it is good to be reminded often of the values everyone is working towards. Values also gain more traction when new crew see them in action through existing crew, rather than just hearing about them.

Remember that values are your compass point, your anchor and non-negotiable boundaries. They define what you stand for and what you base your decision making on. Be clear about your values and make these a part of daily yacht life so that you can have a more cohesive and motivated team. 

Which are your top 5 values when it comes to defining your yacht’s brand? Share them in the comments section below!