Recruitment leadership secrets of Santa Claus
4 new ways for team management
December 21, 2021
A guide to recruiting passive candidates
December 21, 2021
When we think of the recruitment manager within our organisation, our perception of them is still very traditional. S/he is somebody who is engrossed in supervising the recruitment team and reports on their performance, continuously keeping a track of recruitment metrics( eg. time to hire and cost per hire), advises the head of recruitment on new approaches to recruit the best and attends different career events and job fairs.To win the war of talent, this image needs a transformation from a recruitment manager into a skilled business head. And with the use of various new techniques, finally, the recruitment manager ramp up their skills to evolve into a Santa.
The holiday season merrily provokes decking of halls and jingling of bells. So, let’s use the Christmas spirit to lead us right into a great recruitment lesson from Santa and ramp up your recruitment strategy.
Plan your resources for bulk requirement way ahead of time
Santa may have a seasonal business, but what if he tried to bring all his new Elves on in November, Christmas would be a disaster, wouldn't it? Santa believes that next year planning starts as soon as Christmas is over. The world’s population grows every year and that means the workforce is in continuous growth. He’s smart, he’s done this before.
Santa knows he needs to bring in 3000 elves to work 8 hours a day for 1 year to wrap up 1.9 billion presents to all the kids in the world. Hence, he hires elves and get them prepared for bulk projects way ahead of time.
Choose a team ambassador like Rudolf, the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer has been Santa’s right-hand man. Rudolf has always been that evergreen talent who could save him from all sorts of obstacles. Rudolph took a lot of stick from his peers for his bright red nose. But one year, when the snow drove down and Christmas was falling apart, Rudolph and his red nose saved the day.
He’s been there, seen it, done it and embraced the differences among all. Santa knows that he can lean on Rudolf to handle this volume requirement of delivering presents to all. Rudolf is smart; he is clever enough to survive delivering presents in the South despite having to do so during the deer-hunting season! Santa knows the red-nosed wonder is going to complete his task in the shortest span of time. Rudolf will light the way and drag his team of reindeers around the whole world, across every rooftop, before children wake up. That is a serious humongous task, but if you really want to catapult your organisation then you need to forget about the obstacles that you are facing then look for the best.
So, don’t hire the herd. Look for your Rudolph, the ambassador to motivate your recruitment team.
Build the reputation as a leader
Santa stays jolly as a person, there’s no doubt about that. The reason that those 3000 Elves want to join him is because he is, fundamentally, a friendly and approachable personas a leader. The Elves could head to warmer climates and make a living for others. But no, they all want to hit the North Pole, which is considered one of the coldest places on Earth, and work in a toy factory. We reckon that’s because of the way Santa carries himself, and the cause he represents.
Don’t be like the Grinch. Be the leader that lights up with an infectious smile and real enthusiasm. To retain your best Elves, put organisation’s vision in their heads and hearts. It’s a feel-good job for a feel-good person. That is an absolutely killer employer brand.
Innovate and execute flawlessly
Have you ever wondered how Santa covers the length and breadth of the earth in one night? Santa uses his magic power to make himself, his sleigh and reindeers so small that it fits itself down into that chimney to surprise the children. You cannot doubt his entrepreneurial capabilities and the way he accomplishes all the impossible tasks with a sense of ownership. Seriously, how can the Elves complain about working conditions, or volume targets, when the leader sets that kind of example?
Don’t dictate, demonstrate. Show them what you innovate and how you execute flawlessly every time. Talk about how you achieved things differently, the rest will follow you.
Final thoughts
This article might sound a little bit crazy but there are lessons you can learn from Santa Claus when it comes to ramping up your skills as a business leader. As we enjoy the holiday season, let's hope we also get to enjoy the benefits of being or working with a great recruitment leader.
Are there any characteristics of Santa that stick out to you? Do let us know. Write back to us, we can ring it into the new year :) Happy Holidays to everyone!
