Shelter Me!
Hoping to add a second dog to our family, I stopped by a local shelter at 2:30 on a Sunday afternoon. With no obligations until 5 p.m., I had plenty of time to submit an adoption application.
I was wrong.
A cute Chihuahua mix caught my eye. I waited for slip to visit with him. Then I waited at the kennel for the introduction. When I decided the pup wasn’t right for us, I had to start the process over for the scrappy little black and white terrier mix.
He was perfect; I immediately decided I wanted him! But not so fast, Bucko: after waiting to meet him, the next step was to take a number, deli counter style, and wait for 45 minutes for an application. (The kennel staff apparently aren’t trusted to give them out?) When the worker reviewed the application instructions, she stressed that I couldn’t just leave the form; my signature must be witnessed by shelter staff.
Long story short, at 4:55, 20 applicants were ahead of me. I gave up, thinking I didn’t want to adopt from a facility with the apparent philosophy that applicants aren’t “pet-worthy” unless willing to jump through multiple hoops, withstanding considerable and needless inconvenience. In contrast, I’ve notice pet store adoption shows often have a much more consumer-friendly approach. Applications are displayed for the taking; better yet, you may submit one online for pre-approval. Animals are freely accessible to visitors. What a different experience!
I’ve been thinking of my frustrating experience as it parallels HR and employment processes. While I understand doing one’s best despite scarce resources, this situation highlights the dangers of not stopping periodically to evaluate processes and ask whether each step assists–or actually hinders–one’s goals. And I wonder: Are there ways in which we as HR professionals unknowingly construct unnecessary obstacles to employment? Are we (God forbid) displaying that attitude that you’re not job-worthy if you won’t put up with needless and annoying bureaucracy?
I hope not. But it wouldn’t hurt to audit our own hiring processes and eliminate unnecessary steps, delays and other inconveniences along the way.
image by emdot