TRUST OR TALENT – WHICH ONE TRUMPS?

Matt Love-Smith • Sep 20, 2021
If you had to make a choice between trust and talent when hiring someone, which would you plump for?

For many employers, both qualities are non-negotiables. In other words, there’s no point having a talented person you can’t trust, or a trustworthy person with no ability. It’s a trick question right?.

Then again, it depends how you define trust. Does ‘trusting’ someone mean you think they operate under the highest code of ethics at all times? That they have basic integrity but are as flawed as the rest of us? How would you even go about measuring those standards? Would it require micromanagement, whereby employees have to check with you before doing anything, just to ensure they still have your trust? Would the consequences of such a jealously guarded system of honour even be desirable?

The questions arising from a concept as nebulous as ‘trust’ go on and on, with very little in the way of concrete answers. Everyone has a different definition of trust, which throws doubt on the suggestion that you, as an employer, can objectively identify a betrayal of trust. Is it not healthier and more productive to assume employees are acting in ‘good faith’, even if you can be reasonably sure that won’t be the case 100% of the time.

The benefit of the doubt is a great gift in a work environment – especially one populated by highly talented people. Talent gets the job done. The talented company outperforms the company with some shaky notion of ‘trust’ – and anyway, genuinely talented people can be trusted. They can be trusted to be genuinely talented, and genuine talent does not need to betray trust in order to give the appearance of success.

Although the two ideas aren’t mutually exclusive – far from it – the ways in which we measure ‘talent’ and ‘trust’ are not equally reliable. Measuring an individual’s performance is much easier than measuring our own level of trust in the same person.

So, until we figure out a way to precisely (or even vaguely reliably) measure trust, the question isn’t such a trick after all. Trust or talent? Give me talent any day of the week!

Matt is a Director of The Talent Hive and leads the Engineering recruitment practice within the business. Originally from the UK he’s been living in New Zealand for 13 years. Matt is a retired ‘amateur’ athlete who has given up chasing great marathon times for chasing his young children around the park, a far more worthy (if not exhausting) pursuit.

At The Talent Hive we specialise in connecting IT & Engineering professionals with the right career opportunities. We encourage collaboration, socialising your success and sharing industry insight and expertise. Start the journey, connect with The Talent Hive today.

Temp & Contract Recent Trends

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The economic conditions are influencing the contract employment landscape in several ways. Here are some of the trends Talent Hive has seen recently.  Demand Shifts NZ firms facing economic headwinds are hesitant to commit to FTE hires but with projects and deadlines still to deliver on, there is likely to be more reliance on temporary and contract solutions to manage workloads in the coming months. Available Talent Although not widespread, layoffs and restructures in the Tech sector could lead to a larger pool of candidates available for temporary and contract work, and Talent Hive has seen an increase in enquiries from people looking to understand how they might set themselves up for contract engagements. This has the potential to increase competition but could also provide businesses with access to qualified talent on a flexible basis. Tech Sector Specifics We are seeing an increase in demand for contract staff recently, particularly Software Developers, Integration and Solution Architects, and Business Analysts. This upswing in demand is reflected in the recent Seek job listings data. There are 207 Contract IT/Tech roles advertised on Seek today and 23% of those contract roles have been listed in the last 7 days. 52 of the 207 contract roles advertised are for Software Eng/Developers with 30 listed ads for Contract BA’s. Wage Control In Stats NZ’s latest update, New Zealand's salary rates actually increased by 4.1 percent in the year to March. That labour cost growth slightly outstripped inflation, which was sitting at 4 percent. Contract hourly rates in the Technology sector have stabilised in recent months as hiring demand has decreased and we may even see hourly rates come back a little, particularly for role types where there is an oversupply of contract talent. Hybrid Work Trend One trend we are certainly seeing in the contract market are fewer remote work opportunities. Increasingly there is a requirement for contractors to have the ability to work some of the week at a designated office and this is restricting the opportunities contractors are able to go for. Full remote work options aren’t completely gone but they are significantly reduced. Contract candidates must be open to in-office work for at least some portion of their engagement. Overall, the current climate creates a complex landscape for both businesses seeking talent and professionals exploring temporary and contract opportunities. Success for Contractors will depend on adaptability, flexibility around rates, and contract length. Talent Hive's Value Talent Hive's understanding of the current market dynamics, along with our strong network of skilled professionals, positions us uniquely to support both clients and candidates Addressing Uncertainty: For businesses navigating hiring uncertainty, Talent Hive offers flexible staffing solutions. We have access to contract talent that are ready to fill immediate skill gaps and help organisations manage fluctuating workloads. Beyond Just Tech Skills: We understand that finding the right technical expertise is only half the battle. Talent Hive's strong connections within the contractor talent pool allow us to identify professionals who are not only technically capable but also a strong cultural and organisational fit for our clients. This approach ensures smoother onboarding and a positive impact for both the contractor and the employer. We would like to share some of the contractors we’re working with at the moment. Click below to view some of the great IT talent we're working with to find roles at the moment.

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