51.2 Testing and Trusting

 51.2 Testing and Trusting

 

Question:

What are some of the mistakes and consequences of hiring the

wrong kind of people?

Answer:

Do not hire men who have no attachments and relatives,

for they will not be ashamed of disgrace.                                                  (Couplet – 506)

Choosing ignorant men out of affection is the height of folly.               (Couplet – 507)

Choosing strangers without testing them will bring endless

troubles even to one’s progeny.                                                                   (Couplet – 508)

Do not hire anyone without testing. Once an individual is hired,

do not hesitate to assign appropriate duties to him.                             (Couplet – 509)

Trusting someone without testing and suspecting those

already tested will cause endless troubles.                                               (Couplet – 510)

அற்றாரைத் தேறுதல் ஓம்புக மற்றவர்

பற்றிலர் நாணார் பழி.                                                           (குறள் – 506)

காதன்மை கந்தா அறிவறியார்த் தேறுதல்

பேதைமை எல்லாந் தரும்.                                                      (குறள் – 507)

தேரான் பிறனைத் தெளிந்தான் வழிமுறை

தீரா இடும்பை தரும்.                                                             (குறள் – 508)

தேறற்க யாரையும் தேராது தேர்ந்தபின்

தேறுக தேறும் பொருள்.                                                        (குறள் – 509)

தேரான் தெளிவும் தெளிந்தான்கண் ஐயுறவும்

தீரா இடும்பை தரும்.                                                             (குறள் – 510

Explanation:

Valluvar believes that since people who have no attachments and relatives will not be ashamed of disgrace they should not be hired.  Also, according to Valluvar, people should be hired only on the basis of their merits and expertise and not on other considerations such as personal likes and favoritism. He is strongly in favor of testing before trusting anyone for a position. He warns that hiring people without testing them will lead to endless troubles.

The selection process for employing someone should be done systematically, following all the necessary procedures. Once selected after all the tests, the individual should be entrusted with the work for which he was selected. After being tested and selected and a suitable position is assigned, the employee should be trusted to perform his duties. Doubting an employee’s ability to perform the assigned duties will cause endless troubles. The endless troubles mentioned by Valluvar could include the employee losing his confidence and motivation to do his job. When an employee fails to do his task, other associated tasks will be delayed or will not be done. So, when an employee fails to complete his task, it could affect the overall performance of the enterprise. 

It is interesting to see that Valluvar has thought extensively about human resource issues. His ideas about the hiring process are still valid. When a corporation hires an executive, it is customary to check his academic and professional background and his past performance. In many corporations, they conduct personality assessment tests like the Briggs-Myers test and other psychological evaluations to determine the suitability of a candidate for high-level positions. The US government conducts additional tests for candidates seeking employment in the defense and law enforcement sectors.