Should HR be Present and Involved in Interviews
Many professionals have asked me whether HR should be present during Interview or should Hiring Managers Involve HR in the Interview Process. This dilemma comes from a pre-conceived notion that HR will not add any value in the hiring process. They mostly do not have the technical and/or functional knowledge for the position.
Especially in manufacturing industries, there are many technical roles. They are Design or R&D or New Product Development, Planning, Operations, Quality (both Assurance and Control), Purchase, Projects etc. Sales is also technical when it is solution selling of non-standard tailor-made products. Ideally, all the above functions require engineers. Whereas HR is primarily a Management Subject.
My Reasons
Talent Acquisition had been one of my core KRAs in my 20 years long career. My role was never limited to coordination and administrative paperwork. I strongly endorse presence and involvement of HR in all stages of interview. Here is why.
1. The Human (minus Resource) Touch
When seriously pursuing a job opportunity, all job applicants feel nervous before and during interview. Some pretend to be 100% confident, however. HR is often the first point of contact on behalf of hiring organization. Applicants feel a sense of familiarity and comfort with them.
When HR introduce the Hiring Manager and Job Applicant to each other, or share description of each other’s background, the ice-breaking helps a candidate to answer more confidently.
HR also create an empathetic ground for the applicant where they can explain apparent red-flags like lay-off, career gaps, or how they failed after taking risk. It helps all the panel members seeing the candidate as a fellow human, beyond their CV.
2. Objectivity and Bias Control:
We all have unconscious biases.
In one of my previous organizations, one Manager had a bias of hiring team members from a specific region of India, speaking a specific language. We all have experienced such scenario.
When comfort of working overpowers merit and organizational goal, people tend to hire team members from a specific
- Region (often own native)
- Organization (may be their past)
- Gender (stereotypes)
- Religion, caste, community (in a worse case)
- Institute or having an exact academic qualification
- Age group (even if it is not violating qualification and budget constraints) etc.
The list is long.
Such practice potentially overlook the brilliance of someone from a non-traditional path. HR, with their unbiased framework and structured questioning, help the organization to discover diverse talent that will truly enrich the team.
Moreover, HR is custodian of Equal Opportunity Employer policy. They safeguard the sanctity of merit, and encourage a comprehensive initiative for diversity and inclusion. Such Policies must not appear as feel-good slogans of the hiring organization.
3. Candidate Experience and Branding:
The concept of “Employee Experience” has reinstated the fact that Hiring is a two-way process. An organization needs a professional who will solve their problem. A jobseeker needs an organization, where their career will take towards a specific goal and fulfilment.
During interview (or even before interview, when candidate first comes in contact with any member of the organization), both the parties assess each other. Due to the thriving of social media, jobseekers become second level brand ambassador. In websites like Glassdoor, I have read all types of reviews.
Some are very positive. I also remember a rejected candidate who badmouthed about hiring organization on social media.
Jobseekers have explicitly written about
- Their Interview Date-time has been rescheduled with short notice
- Candidates waited for long duration from the stipulated interview schedule
- Multiple rounds of interview with same questions asked by different members
- Hiring Manager asked candidate to make a lengthy presentation for free
- Panel behaved uninterested in candidate or interview, or behaved rudely (in a worst case scenario) etc.
Every organization needs to ensure a positive candidate experience, whether the candidate joins the organization or not. Whether they are selected or not.
HR, with their communication skills and empathy, can manage expectations, provide timely feedback, and build goodwill – a crucial aspect of employer branding in today’s competitive talent market.
4. Cultural Alignment and Long-Term Success:
Brilliant skills alone do not guarantee a great hire.
There is a famous saying that skills can be taught, attitude cannot be. We all have seen star performers with toxic behaviour. Any size of organizations hesitate to fire them because they are significantly contributing towards top-line, or bottom-line, or cost-saving etc. Money is the blood and oxygen of any business. So, they stay.
Here, we need to evaluate two things:
- How many team members have left due to such “Boss”?
- What is the tangible and intangible cost of poor performance, re-establishing stakeholder relationship, mistakes, task skips, re-hiring and re-training?
We have also came across leaders with great personality, communication, past credentials and promise of success during interview. Post hiring, they could not deliver during actual time of need.
Such cases are classic examples of wrong hire (explained more in Reason No 6 below)
HR, through their behavioural evaluation techniques, can assess a candidate’s values ethics, communication pattern, work ethics, team and stakeholder management style, ensuring they align with the company culture.
This leads to higher employee engagement, lower turnover, and a more cohesive team in the long run.
5. Building a Talent Pipeline and Succession Planning:
HR is not just about hiring for today.
It is about building the future workforce.
Their understanding of employee aspirations and career development paths allows them to identify high-potential candidates during interviews, even if they are not suitable for the current role.
This practice builds a valuable talent pipeline for future leadership positions, ensuring smooth succession and knowledge transfer.
6. Inter-departmental Collaboration and Communication:
I will explain this with a real-life example.
Imagine the Supply Chain department is hiring a procurement specialist. The interview focuses solely on the candidate’s ability to negotiate low prices and secure favourable contracts. The Hiring Manager’s priority is cost-cutting. He/she may fail to assess the candidate’s understanding of lead times, production schedules, and cross-departmental impact of their decisions.
What HR can do here? (And it is not only about HR)
HR will ask questions about the candidate’s awareness of various departments within the organization and their ability to consider the needs of different teams beyond just cost savings.
HR will also involve representatives from Production, Planning, Quality or Logistics in the interview process, allowing them to assess the candidate’s understanding of their workflows and potential for collaborative planning.
By facilitating communication and shared understanding among multiple departments during interviews, HR will ensure new hires come in equipped not just for their specific role, but also for collaborating effectively with other teams and contributing to the company’s overall success.
This benefits the organization by:
- Minimizing rework and waste
- Enhancing efficiency and productivity
- Boosting overall employee satisfaction
HR, through their cross-functional perspective, can bridge communication gaps between departments, ensuring new hires understand the holistic business strategy and contribute effectively across teams.
7. Data-Driven Hiring and Continuous Improvement:
HR, with their expertise in data analysis, can track selection trends, identify potential biases the hiring manager may have, and refine the hiring process based on performance metrics.
This continuous improvement approach ensures we are attracting the best talent and making the most of the recruitment efforts.
8. Feedback, On-boarding
We come back to a full circle here: the human touch.
For potential selected candidates, HR will escalate the discussion about the
- Processes of Offer, Appointment, On-Boarding etc.
- Requirement of Testimonials,
- A brief of Induction process,
- Typical expectations during probation,
- Generic HR policies, Ethics and Values.
HR will also listen the questions and concerns of Candidate.
For potential reject candidates, HR will
- Provide an honest feedback,
- Share scope of improvements the candidate may implement,
- Organization’s future expansion plan, how they can re-apply, or remain in touch in between
These are my 8 reasons from my own career experience as an HR.
People Also Asked
I have discussed all the above points, with facts, with various hiring managers, and they have asked me the following questions:
Hiring Manager:
Won’t having HR in every interview slow down the hiring process?
My Answer:
HR’s presence will actually streamline the process by ensuring compliance, pre-screening candidates, and handling administrative tasks. Plus, their expertise will shorten interviews by focusing on relevant questions.
Hiring Manager:
Our team understands our specific needs best. Don’t we have the expertise to judge cultural fit ourselves?
My Answer:
HR brings a broader perspective on cultural fit and unconscious bias. They can also assess soft skills, complementing your technical assessment.
Hiring Manager:
Isn’t it more efficient to focus on finding the best candidate, rather than making the interview experience perfect?
My Answer:
A positive candidate experience, even for rejected candidates, improves employer branding and future talent acquisition pipeline. HR will ensure professionalism and timely feedback.
Hiring Manager:
Keeping an additional HR personnel for interviews feels like an unnecessary expense.
My Answer:
Investing in HR for interviews leads to better hiring decisions and reduces the cost of bad hires in the long run. Consider utilizing existing HR resources strategically.
Hiring Manager:
Won’t having HR present dilute our authority and control over the hiring process?
My Answer:
HR acts as a business partner and collaborator, and not as a competitor or replacement. They provide valuable insights without compromising your final decision-making power.
Hiring Manager:
How would this actually work in our organization with various teams and interview structures?
My Answer:
HR can work with each team to tailor HR’s involvement based on specific needs and existing interview structures. Flexibility and collaboration are key.
Hiring Manager:
How can we be sure having HR involved in interviews will actually improve our hiring outcomes?
My Answer:
HR will track metrics like time to hire, offer acceptance rate, and employee retention to see the positive impact of HR involvement on your talent acquisition process.
Wrapping It Up
By having HR at the interview table, organization is not simply adding another voice. They are investing in compliance, diversity, employer branding, cultural fit, talent pipeline, collaboration, and data-driven hiring. A strong HR presence is not a hurdle in the interview process.
They are the bridge to building a high-performing, engaged, and future-proof workforce.