Steps to Establish Values-Based Hiring Practices

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗜 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗮 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗼𝗳 𝟭𝟭, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆’𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱. What’s even more surprising is the kind of team we’ve built — not just remote, but sharp, driven, and values-aligned. They’re young. They’re hungry. And they care deeply about the work. What brings us together isn’t just the job — it’s a shared commitment to: • Pursuing excellence • Continuous marginal gains • Building for the long term • Elite teamwork And no — this didn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of an intentional hiring and onboarding process I’ve refined over the years. If you’re a founder scaling remotely, here’s what’s worked for me: 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟭: 𝗕𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿. Know the role, skillset, and mindset that’ll thrive in your culture. If you’re vague, expect vague results. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟮: 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗶𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿. Don’t just list duties. Highlight your values and what makes your company different. This draws the right people in — and repels the wrong ones. ✅Pro tip: Include a small test: “To apply, email hr@omnidigital.com.sg with the subject line: ‘Account Manager.’” Many skip this — and that alone filters for attention to detail. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟯: 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹. Be professional. Sell your company. The best talent has options. Set expectations early. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟰: 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀. It helps us compare candidates quantitatively and test commitment. ~30% don’t even attempt it — and that’s the point. It filters fast. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟱: 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀. Real-world tasks test communication, clarity, and effort. The best candidates deliver thoughtful work — not just fast work. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟲: 𝗢𝗻𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗻. We set new hires up with: • A buddy • Full access to tools • 30, 60, and 90-day milestones • Daily + weekly check-ins One wrong hire can quietly ruin a good culture — I’ve seen it firsthand. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟳: 𝗘𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆. Watch closely in the first 2–4 weeks. If they’re not aligned, give feedback. Still not working? Let go quickly. I’ve kept the wrong hires too long — it cost us more than just salary. Building a remote team isn’t about hiring fast. It’s about hiring right. People who share your standards. Who want to grow with you. Who raise the bar for everyone else. It takes work — but when you get it right, it changes everything. 𝗚𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁? 𝗜’𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺.

Clients don’t hire your degree. They hire you. Your character matters. As much as your skill. That’s what builds trust. And lasting relationships. Remember this: You are the service. The same goes for hiring. Your team is your service. Your values in action. But how you hire. How clear you are. How fair your terms. That shapes trust from day one. Look at LinkedIn. Hiring posts flood the feed. Yet many miss the mark. No clarity. No honesty. If you want a team that trusts you, delivers, and grows. Fix these 3 things in your hiring: 1) Salary transparency - stop the guessing games • Put salary bands in every job post - no "competitive" or "as per industry". • Show band examples (₹8-12 LPA for mid-level, ₹18-30 LPA for senior engineering, etc.). • Say what the band includes - CTC, fixed vs variable, benefits. This will: • Save time for candidates and you. • Attract aligned applicants. • Cut offer dropouts and builds trust from the first message. 2) Clear employment contracts - remove surprises before they happen • Role, reporting line, responsibilities and evaluation criteria. • Compensation breakdown, payment schedule, probation terms. • Notice period, termination grounds, and exit mechanics. • Confidentiality and IP assignment - work belongs to the company. • Data handling obligations - critical for fintech (DPDP, encryption, access limits). • Reasonable non-compete / non-solicit that courts will uphold. This will: • Reduce disputes and churn. • Keep investors happy during due diligence. • Make onboarding faster and cleaner. 3) Fair terms + good-faith hiring - treat people like partners, not placeholders • Be honest about role, challenge, runway, and growth paths in interviews. • Avoid overly broad non-competes or hidden unpaid expectations. • Define performance metrics up front - especially during probation. • Move decisions quickly - delays kill candidate momentum. This will: • Build trust and loyalty from day one. • Lower turnover and the cost of re-hiring. • Protect your employer brand in a tight fintech market. The bottom line is: Clients hire for integrity. So do employees. Transparent salary, clear contracts, honest talk. These build teams that stick. And perform. Don’t let weak hiring break your fintech dream. Lead with the same integrity you offer clients. That’s how you build a team. That lasts. --- ✍ What’s one hiring practice you think fintech startups often overlook? 

Stop hiring for “culture fit.” It’s bias with better branding. Culture isn’t about “liking” someone or feeling chemistry. Culture is how work gets done. Hire for that. Here’s the playbook I teach the leaders I work with: 𝟭. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮 𝗛𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 • Mission: why the role exists • Outcomes: what success looks like in 6–12 months • Competencies: the behaviours that deliver those outcomes    If you can’t write this in plain English, you’re not ready to hire. 𝟮. 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗮𝘅𝗲𝘀 • Fit — will they thrive in how you work today • Add — will they strengthen the team with new perspective • Adapt — can they grow with where you’re going You’re not looking for “same.” You’re looking for “effective today, better tomorrow.” 𝟯. 𝗔𝘀𝗸 𝗳𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗿, 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 • “Tell me about a time you owned X end-to-end. What changed for the business?” • “What’s the toughest disagreement you resolved at work. How did you decide?” • “Walk me through a decision you made with incomplete data. Why that path?” Drive depth. Push for actions, trade-offs, measurable impact. 𝟰. 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗷𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 Tie every question to outcomes and competencies. Use a 1–4 scale with no middle option. Require 1–2 lines of evidence per score. 𝟱. 𝗥𝘂𝗻 𝗮 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄 0–5 min: set context, create safety, invite their agenda 5–10: frame mission, outcomes, how you work 10–45: high-signal questions, go deep rather than wide 45–55: their questions 55–60: reflect key signals, outline next steps 𝟲. 𝗗𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝘁 Everyone submits scorecards first. Start with evidence, not opinions. HiPPO (highest paid person’s opinion) speaks last. 𝟳. 𝗘𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺 How they prepare, schedule, follow up, and clarify. Those are your culture signals. Treat every touchpoint as data. If you want managers to hire this way, train them. At School of Hiring, we turn this into simple systems. At Klareda, we power these systems with AI. Because clarity is half the problem solved.

Most founders obsess over one question when hiring: Do I go for passion or for skills? It feels like an impossible trade-off. On one hand - the candidate who believes in your mission but lacks the technical depth. On the other - the highly skilled expert who doesn’t buy into your vision. Sam Altman argues this isn’t a trade-off at all. He lays out a hiring framework that rarely fails: → Values first → Aptitude second → Skills third Why? Because skills are teachable. Values aren’t. A brilliant but misaligned hire can quietly destroy culture. A values-aligned but inexperienced hire, on the other hand, will grow into the role and stay loyal to the mission along the way. This flips the usual logic most founders follow. We’re conditioned to look for résumés stacked with credentials. But the real differentiator isn’t what someone knows today — it’s what they believe and what they’re willing to learn tomorrow. It’s a lesson from one of the world’s best company-builders. Hire for values. Train for skills.

Let’s talk about hiring and how we treat people in the process. There’s a lot going on in the world right now. For many, the job search only adds more stress and uncertainty. I’ve been thinking about how we can show up for our communities, and in my own work, that means prioritizing how we support candidates. In the progressive movement, we talk a lot about liberation, equity, and justice. But those values don’t always show up where they should (in our hiring practices). Whether we’re building campaigns, nonprofits, or foundations, *how* we hire is just as important as *who* we hire. The process is wicked important. It’s a window into how we operate, how we value people, and how seriously we take our commitments to equity. Here’s what it looks like to treat candidates well in the hiring process, especially in movement-aligned spaces: 1. Transparency & Respect ➡️ Post the salary every time. It’s not radical anymore, it’s baseline. ➡️ Share your timeline and stick to it. If things shift, update candidates about that shift. ➡️ Respond to everyone who applies or interviews. Even if it’s a no, it matters. ➡️ Share interview questions with your candidates ahead of time. This helps them prep and show up as their best selves to the call. 2. Remove Barriers ➡️ Ditch the cover letter and use clear application questions. Or, just ask for a resume and send a short written questionnaire as the first step in the process. ➡️ Again, be upfront about salary and benefits. It saves everyone time and builds trust. ➡️ Be mindful of time. Many strong candidates simply can’t afford to spend 10+ hours on interviews. Keep the process streamlined, focused, and as efficient as possible. ➡️ Compensate finalists for exercises. It shows you value people’s time and helps dismantle unpaid labor culture. 3. Consistent Process & Reduced Bias ➡️ Standardize your interviews. Same questions, same format = less bias, more fairness. ➡️ Use blind grading when appropriate. I like doing this especially for written exercises. A clear rubric helps us focus on key competencies.  ➡️ Make it collaborative. Final stages should include buy-in from both leadership and peers or direct reports the hire will work closely with. 4. The Candidate Experience Is Movement Work ➡️ Share your mission, values, and team vibe throughout the process. Candidates want to know what they’re stepping into. ➡️ For interviews, give candidates a heads-up on who they’ll meet and what to expect. When we treat candidates with dignity and transparency, we build stronger teams and stronger movements. We’re not perfect, and we don’t expect anyone else to be either, but we love partnering with clients who are willing to do the work to get better together. 🔍🔍 What would you add? What have you seen that works (or doesn’t) in progressive hiring? Drop your thoughts below. #EquityInHiring #NonprofitJobs #DEI #WorkplaceCulture #CandidateExperience #HiringEquity #PayTransparency 

Your team already knows if your Core Values are real. The question is whether you do. Let me be honest with you about something... If your Core Values are sitting on a slide deck collecting dust, they're not Core Values. They're wishes. And your team knows the difference, even if nobody's saying it out loud. But when you get this right, your values are behind every hire, hard conversation, and moment you recognize someone doing the work the right way. Every single time. Let me show you how to get there: 1️⃣ Know what your Core Values actually do They define who you already are, NOT who you wish you were. When they're real, they make every people decision cleaner: - Hiring - Firing - Reviewing - Recognizing 2️⃣ Discover them rather than invent them Look at the people already winning in your culture. What do they all have in common? - Each leader names three people they'd clone.  - List what makes them great.  - Find the patterns.  - Keep, Kill, and Combine until you land on 3-7 that are honest and memorable. 3️⃣ Avoid these three traps 1. Accidental ↳ Values tied to one department or one era, not the whole company. 2. Aspirational ↳ Values you wish you had, usually written to fix behaviors your leadership team doesn't fully live either. 3. Permission-to-Play ↳ Generic words like "integrity" that every company claims but not all can be held to. 4️⃣ Test whether they're real Rate each person against your Core Values: plus, plus/minus, or minus, based on how consistently they live each one. Start with your leadership team. Rate each other first. If a value can't hold up in that room, it's not ready for the rest of the company. 5️⃣ Use your Core Values out loud - Write your Core Values Speech, with real stories behind each value.  - Deliver it in every interview.  - Say it at least quarterly.  - Recognize the people who live them.  - Address the ones who don't, with clarity and care. A value you only mention once a year isn't running your business. 6️⃣ Let them attract and repel When you deliver your values with real conviction, the right people lean in.  They recognize themselves and want in. The ones who don't fit quietly step back, sometimes before you ever have to say a word. If you want a strong culture... You have to be willing to hold people to one. Save this for when you're ready to do the work. ♻️ Share this to help someone in your network build a culture that holds. 🟠 And follow me, Kelly Knight, for more on building people-first businesses. --- P.S. We send our Clarity Break Thoughts newsletter every week: practical thinking for entrepreneurial leaders. Plus, enjoy a free eBook when you subscribe: https://lnkd.in/g3eKchmG

The Costliest Mistake You Can Make in Business: A Wrong Hire Hiring the wrong person isn’t just an expense—it’s a domino effect of challenges: lost money, derailed processes, cultural misalignments, and missed opportunities. And yet, most of us still approach hiring reactively, treating it as a transactional activity rather than a strategic one. Here’s the biggest mindset shift that changed everything for me: Recruit, don’t hire. What’s the difference? Hiring happens when you’re in a rush—when you need someone now. Recruiting, on the other hand, is an ongoing process. It’s about constantly discovering, evaluating, and building relationships with potential team members long before there’s a vacancy. But recruiting the right fit isn’t just about scanning resumes or looking for the "perfect" experience. It’s about peeling back the layers to find substance, not fluff. Let’s face it—many people are great at talking about what they’ve done, but far fewer have truly done what they claim. It’s your job to dig deep, ask hard questions, and verify their track record. Here are a few principles I’ve found invaluable in this process (so that you dont loose crores by repeating the same mistake!): 1. Cultural and Value Fitment A great candidate aligns not only with your company’s culture but also with its values. This isn’t a one-way street—they must feel at home in your culture, too. Skills can be taught; values and attitudes rarely can. 2. Test Through Consulting Assignments. Before diving into a full-time commitment, consider starting with a short-term project or consulting engagement. This gives you both a chance to evaluate the fit in real-world scenarios. 3. Avoid Biases. Biases cloud judgment. Use structured scorecards to evaluate candidates, focusing on measurable criteria. Multiple conversations in different settings over time will give you a clearer picture of who they truly are. 4. Leverage Industry-Specific Headhunters. A great headhunter does more than source resumes—they build long-term relationships with potential recruits and understand the nuances of your industry. The right partner can save you time and deliver exceptional fits. There is no bad hire, there are only wrong hires. a wrong hire is one which is not aligned with your goals, culture, and values. Two things to do after hiring: - Map actions with your scorecard to verify if your judgement was correct about the person - Work closely and transfer limited responsibility, with a timeline for complete transfer The next best thing to a good recruitment is to let go a wrong recruitment asap. Execution is the backbone of any business, and the foundation of execution is your people. Don’t leave this critical function to chance or urgency. What are your go-to strategies for finding the right fit? Let’s share and learn in the comments. #recruiting #hiring #teambuilding #execution

Scaling Without Sacrificing Culture: How to Maintain Company Values as You Grow As a business scales up, it's tempting to push cultural elements aside in favor of more pressing matters. However, doing so can have dire consequences for the company's long-term success. First, it's essential to understand the distinction between growth and scaling. Scaling involves growing revenue faster than costs, while growth refers to increasing revenue and resources at an even pace. Both are important for a business, but it's crucial to find ways to address the challenges that arise during scaling while reinforcing your company's values throughout the process. Here are a few ways to do that: 1. Understand your company's culture The first step is to take stock of the current company culture. This means identifying the values, attitudes, and behaviors that define the organization and how they're reflected in every aspect of the business. 2. Establish and reinforce culture When leaders regularly communicate and model these values, they create a shared understanding among employees of what's expected, regardless of role or location. This helps align the entire organization as it grows. 3. Hire carefully One of the best ways to preserve company culture is to hire carefully. I often say, "Hire for cultural fit, not just skills." Look for candidates who not only possess the technical skills you need but also align with your values and ethos. This means asking the right questions during the interview process. Remember, skills can be taught, but values and attitudes are much harder to shape. Hiring people who already believe in what your company stands for will make it easier to maintain culture as you expand. 4. Define culture in terms of actions and behavior Equally important in scaling culture is defining values as observable behaviors or actions. This provides concrete examples for your team and makes your mission less abstract. For instance, you could create a list within different departments of what helps your team communicate more effectively. Is it providing feedback? Deferring judgment? Engage and encourage team members to define what actions help them feel confident and do their best. 5. Prioritize leadership development Growth and expansion require your team to develop strong leaders. Their master skill set will extend beyond their direct job objectives; it will include reinforcing the culture across their teams. Keeping your eye on the ball means keeping your eye on your people. Scaling brings its own set of challenges, but your company's purpose and values should be the guiding force in every decision. Even as people join and operations expand, staying true to your culture will help you navigate growth while maintaining the essence that makes your company unique.

I was asked in an interview recently how do you build culture in an organization. My thoughts. 1. Align Culture with Organizational Strategy • Define the Desired Culture: Start by identifying the behaviors, mindsets, and attitudes that will support your organization’s strategic objectives. • Communicate the “Why”: Ensure employees understand how cultural values connect to the company’s purpose and success. Clear messaging from leadership about how behaviors tie to business outcomes is crucial. 2. Embed Values into Everyday Practices • Recruitment and Onboarding: Hire people whose values align with the organization’s. Reinforce cultural expectations from day one. • Performance Management: Build values into goal-setting, feedback, and evaluation processes. Recognize and reward employees who exemplify the desired culture. • Leadership Modeling: Leaders must embody the culture in their actions, decisions, and communication. Culture flows from the top down. 3. Build Systems that Reinforce Culture • Recognition Programs: Celebrate employees who demonstrate behaviors aligned with company values — not just top performers but also those who uphold integrity, innovation, or teamwork. • Training and Development: Provide learning opportunities that reinforce cultural values. For example, if adaptability is key, offer change management workshops. • Policies and Processes: Ensure HR practices (e.g., promotion, performance reviews, and rewards) reinforce the desired culture. 4. Empower Employees to Drive Culture • Culture Champions: Identify and empower employees across levels to model and promote cultural behaviors. • Employee-Led Initiatives: Create space for employees to suggest ideas that align with the organization’s values 5. Reinforce Culture Through Communication • Storytelling: Share real examples of employees living the culture in newsletters, meetings, or company-wide platforms. • Rituals and Routines: Develop meaningful traditions that reinforce values. 6. Measure and Evolve the Culture • Employee Feedback: Regularly gather input through engagement surveys, focus groups, or one-on-ones to assess cultural alignment. • Track Cultural Metrics: Use data like retention rates, (eNPS), and performance outcomes to measure cultural success. • Adapt as Needed: Culture isn’t static. Reassess as business strategies evolve to ensure alignment. Key Takeaway: An amazing culture is built when values are embedded into how the organization operates — from hiring to leadership behavior, performance management, and recognition. When culture directly supports strategy, it becomes a driving force for employee engagement, retention, and business success.

The first 10 hires you make are the most important decision you'll ever make for your company.   Founders often talk about "building culture" through offsites and happy hours. But I've seen companies with no fancy perks build incredible culture—and companies with every perk imaginable failing to build a productive culture.   Early hires become the cultural DNA of your organization. They set the standards for customer focus, work ethic, and quality. Get this wrong and you’ll spend years fighting to change ingrained behaviors.   As a younger company, there's inherent risk on both sides, so as I've been building Exec for the last few years, I've developed 4 key hiring tips that help us nail culture from the beginning.   1. Hire for intrinsic motivation Stop trying to train values into people. Instead, seek people with an internal drive toward excellence. They feel morally compelled to do quality work, and that natural drive trickles down into the team.   2. Use work trials when possible Work trials are a great way to see how candidates would behave in the actual context of your business. They don't always end up in a mutual fit, which is exactly the point. At Exec, we like to have them work with us for a full month to make sure by the time we make a decision, it's a mutual win-win.   3. Accept imperfect hit rates but move quickly on misfits It’s nearly impossible to have a 100% perfect-fit rate on talent, especially throughout the interview process, where many people can seem great on the surface, so you must be meticulous about managing or terminating people who aren’t fitting the culture or quality standards you’ve set.   4. Prioritize hiring people whose character you’ve already witnessed This is typically harder, but if you know some gems, try your best to bring them on board. At Exec, a lot of our hires are people I’ve worked with in the past, so I know how they work and that they’re aligned with the type of company I’m trying to build.   When you nail early hiring, your team operates with the standards you envision without constant management oversight. Quality becomes self-reinforcing as these hires influence every subsequent team member.