In a recent podcast, Ashneer Grover, founder of BharatPe and Third Unicorn, expressed strong criticism of traditional hiring processes and lengthy notice periods. Grover advocates for a ‘hire fast, fire fast’ philosophy, suggesting that companies should streamline their hiring and evaluation processes to increase efficiency.
Grover’s comments challenge conventional practices where extensive time is invested in recruiting candidates, followed by lengthy notice periods and extended probationary periods. He argues that this approach often results in a protracted period before determining whether a new hire is a good fit for the role.
“What I have basically understood about hiring, and a lot of people don’t agree with this thought, it’s hire fast, fire fast,” Grover stated. He explained that the conventional method, which involves multiple rounds of interviews and extended waiting periods, often leads to unnecessary delays. He noted that by the time a candidate is hired, a significant amount of time has already been invested, which extends further as the new employee is given time to prove their worth.
Grover shared his personal experiences, highlighting the inefficiencies in the traditional process. “Sometimes people are able to sell themselves very well. My realization is this – we spend 3 months identifying the ideal candidate, then the candidate serves his 2 months of notice period, so we wait for those 2 months. We have, at this point, already invested around 6 months into this role. Once the candidate joins, we want to give him the same amount of time to prove himself,” he said. Grover added that this often leads to an entire year being spent before realizing if the candidate is a good fit, which he believes is inefficient.
According to Grover, companies should aim to fill positions quickly and assess candidates’ performance sooner. “The best thing to do is to do local optimization, you decide you need a candidate in a week-15 days, you get him in fast. Judge him on his work faster. And it is very simple to understand who works and who does not. So, hire fast and fire fast,” he advised.
Grover’s approach underscores a shift towards more agile and responsive hiring practices, aiming to reduce the time and resources spent on recruitment while improving the alignment between job roles and employee capabilities.
Sources By Agencies