Is lack of motivation a cause for criminal activity? That’s a part of the premise behind new defenses offered in the cheating missileers scandal.
During an investigation for alleged drug possession, authorities discovered a cheating ring within the U.S. military nuclear enterprise. Ninety-two officers at Malstrom Air Force Base are currently under investigation for the cheating scandal. Forty officers are suspected of electronically cheating on the monthly exam. The rest of the officers under investigation are suspected for being aware of the cheating and not reporting it. And just today the Navy announced it was investigating its own case of cheating within its nuclear missile workforce.
PERCEIVED PROBLEMS
Air Force officials tout micromanagement and a stressful and unhealthy work environment as the reason for the cheating. Survey results show that the officers feel under-valued, bored, and under-appreciated in the post-Cold War era. The importance of the nuclear mission has changed in the public’s eyes, which can make it hard to attract high quality officers for the job.
PROPOSED SOLUTIONS
Pentagon spokesman Rear Adm. John Kirby told the press that the leaders are looking for ways to better motivate missile launch workers. Kirby mentioned that incentives and accolades might be a way to improve the situation and help the missile launch workers know that their work is valued. Officials agreed that the systemic issues with personnel growth and development in the nuclear mission need to be addressed. No one mentioned integrity training as a potential solution.
TAKEAWAYS FOR RECRUITERS
When things go sour with an employee, people generally take two different blame paths. Was it a recruiting problem or a management problem? It is a question that is impossible to answer because it depends on who you ask. Managers can argue that they cannot fix a bad hire with training or personnel development initiatives, but recruiters can also argue that they cannot hire quality employees for a bad work environment.
Recruiters can still find ways to look for candidates that display integrity and maturity, but a less than ideal work environment makes this a challenging task. Mock assignments, role-playing exercises, or job simulations could help to assess a candidate’s level of talent and maturity. Integrity testing does exist, but it is safe to assume that cheaters might respond with dishonest answers.
Talent pipelining is a great way to begin vetting candidates early. When you build a talent pool over time, you’re able to build relationships within that network. It is much easier to determine if a candidate has integrity and is a good personality fit for the organization when a relationship exists before the screening process.
Hiring is a team effort. It is critical that management and recruiters work together to find quality employees. Recruiters may make the initial promises, but management has to deliver with a workplace that encourages innovation and promotes integrity.
Cleared Network Tip:
Have you created folders to manage your Cleared Network connections? If not, you’re missing out on a critical way to manage your contacts. You can create folders for specific skill-sets, geographic area, or other niche hiring needs specific to you.
They also help you stay in touch. You can target messages to specific groups (see a great article about Florida cities? Send it to your Florida-based folder). Use your broadcast messages to send out major announcements such as company events or immediate hiring needs. Take advantage of happy hour on the Cleared Network (Thursdays, 3-4 PM ET) to get niche content out through your niche networks – you’ll keep your top talent warm, and ready for your next opportunity.
Other recruiting headlines:
Recruiting Fraud, Kickback Scandal Rocks Army
Attractive vs. Promotional Recruiting
2014: The Year Social HR Matters
How To Solve Your Recruiting Problems (and Where You Should Go To Do It…)
