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Capacity problems in employees

What does that mean to you – the Employer?

That employee whose behaviour you just can’t fathom.  Does a great job but shoots him/herself in the foot by either creating havoc in the team or some other irritating quirk that negates the good work that they do.

My clients and students know this as one of the reasons why employees don’t perform as defined by Thomas Gilbert (Gilbert’s Six Windows).  I have encountered a few lately that have left me reeling in terms of wrong person in the wrong job.

So what is capacity? It is different from skill as it has a strong genetic influence and also aspects of early deep learning related to a personality profile. Some people will never be able to run 100 metres in under 10 seconds. They don’t have short twitch muscles.   It is the intellectual, physical, emotional and mental capacity to do the job that you are employed to do. Now if somebody wheels up to an interview in a wheelchair, you know that they have a physical capacity problem - you know what you are dealing with.  But that’s the visible sign.  What about the invisible signs of lack of capacity to perform because of genetic predispositions.  Intellect is quite easy to measure – you can do that through psychometric assessments and a look at their grades (if they have a degree).  The hard ones are the emotional and mental capacity problems.

The statistics on the incidence of Mental Health sufferers in New Zealand (Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand) indicate that you are going to encounter employees with ‘non-visible’ disorders more frequently than once in your role as a business owner or manager.  It is best that you know how to deal with this.

First, be informed.  At selection time, screen, screen and screen some more – not necessarily to eliminate the person who has suffered or still suffers with an anxiety (or other) disorder – one of the more common mental disorders in New Zealand.

So how do you do this?  I am appalled at the poor quality of recruitment and selection practised by employers in this country – even the very large employers.

And you are not screening to eliminate people who have capacity problems but rather to inform yourself so that (1) you get the best person for the job and (2) you know how to support them if they need support.

Back to the wheelchair bound person – if they are the best person for the job, you know that you will ensure that the working environment accommodates them.  The same applies to the person who suffers from a mental or emotional disorder – know what you are employing and can set up the working environment to support them to do the good job that they would usually do.

Employees do not admit to having a mental health or emotional problem for fear of being discriminated against so you have to be extra vigilant in the selection process – for your sake and for theirs.

Secondly – ask the right questions and apply the right tests.  Do not be afraid to broadcast through your documents of strategic intent that you are a non-discriminatory employer.  And most importantly, when selecting employees, do not necessarily take everything you see and hear at face value.  The Mental Health statistics show that you are going to employ somebody who has or has had a mental or emotional disorder at some stage of their life.  Knowing this and recognizing the implications to you and your company will go a long way to eliminating the great unknown – where are the capacity problems in your organisation?  Statistically, we know they are there.


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