Should HR Hire Toxic People?

The right candidate is a crucial decision that can have a significant impact on the success of an organisation. HR professionals are responsible for recruiting, selecting, and retaining talented employees who align with the organisation's culture, values, and goals. However, some individuals may exhibit toxic behaviour that can negatively impact the work environment, productivity, and morale (Porath, 2016). Several theoretical models and principles are relevant to the debate on hiring toxic people. One of the most widely used models is the Big Five Personality Traits, which include; 

• Openness, 
• Conscientiousness, 
• Extraversion, 
• Agreeableness and 
• Neuroticism 

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According to Barrick and Mount (1991), there is a significant relationship between the Big Five personality dimensions and job performance. Further, they shown that individuals with high levels of neuroticism, characterised by negative emotions and emotional instability, are more likely to exhibit toxic behaviour. In contrast, individuals with high levels of agreeableness, characterised by empathy and cooperation, are less likely to exhibit toxic behaviour. 

In addition, as Porath (2016) points that HR professionals should consider the principles of ethical leadership when making hiring decisions. Ethical leaders prioritise the well being and development of their employees, uphold ethical values, and promote a positive work environment. Hiring a toxic person goes against these principles and can result in a toxic work environment, low employee morale, and decreased productivity.

Emerging theories: 

Emerging theories in HRM suggest that organisations should focus on creating a positive work environment and promoting employee well-being to improve organisational performance. The positive organisational behaviour theory suggests that organisations should cultivate positive emotions, behaviours, and attitudes in the workplace to increase employee engagement and productivity. House et al. (2004) shows that hiring toxic people goes against this theory and can result in a negative work environment that hinders employee well being and productivity. 

The following diagram illustrates the relationship between hiring toxic people and the negative impact on the work environment, employee morale, and productivity

Source: Fierce

Best practices: 

To promote a positive work environment and improve organisational performance, HR professionals should adopt best practices that align with their organisational culture and values. For example, Brown et al. (2005) suggest that organisations can use behavioural interviewing techniques to assess a candidate's personality and behaviour in different work situations. Chatman and Barsade (2015) found that HR professionals can also conduct reference checks and use psychometric assessments to identify potential red flags, such as high levels of neuroticism or low levels of agreeableness. 

Current academic debate: 

The current academic debate on HRM in a global context emphasises the importance of cultural sensitivity and diversity in the workplace. Hiring a toxic person can have a negative impact on organisational culture and can lead to discrimination, harassment, and a lack of diversity. HR professionals should consider the cultural context of their organisation and the potential impact of hiring a toxic person on their employees' wellbeing and development. 

In conclusion, without hiring toxic people, HR professionals should prioritise hiring candidates who align with their organisational culture, values, and goals. Hiring toxic people can have a negative impact on the work environment, employee morale, and productivity. HR professionals should leverage theoretical models, principles, and practices applied in global contexts to make informed hiring decisions that promote a positive work environment and employee well-being.

Reference 

Barrick, M. R., and Mount, M. K. (1991) The Big Five personality dimensions and job performance: A meta-analysis. Personnel Psychology, 44(1), 1-26. [Online]. Available from:  https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1744-6570.1991.tb00688.x [Accessed 23 March 2023]. 

Brown, M. E., Trevino, L. K., and Harrison, D. A. (2005) Ethical leadership: A social learning perspective for construct development and testing. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 97(2), 117-134.[Online]. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2005.03.002 [Accessed 23 March 2023]. 

 

Chatman, J. A., and Barsade, S. G. (1995) Personality, organizational culture, and cooperation: Evidence from a business simulation. Administrative Science Quarterly, 40 (1995), 423-443.[Online]. Available from: http://faculty.haas.berkeley.edu/chatman/papers/31_personalityculturecoop.pdf. [Accessed 23 March 2023]. 

House, R. J., Hanges, P. J., Javidan, M., Dorfman, P. W., and Gupta, V. (Eds.). (2004) Culture, leadership, and organizations: The GLOBE study of 62 societies. Sage Publications. Luthans, F., Youssef, C. M., and Avolio, B. J. (2007) Psychological capital: Developing the human competitive edge. Oxford University Press.[Online]. Available from: https://academic.oup.com/book/26255. [Accessed 23 March 2023].

Porath,C.(2016) How to avoid hiring a toxic employee. HBR. [Online]. Available from: https://hbr.org/2016/02/how-to-avoid-hiring-a-toxic-employee?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=hbr&utm_source=facebook&tpcc=orgsocial_edit.[Accessed 23 March 2023].