Breaking the Mold: Why You Should Integrate Non-Traditional Employees (and a Few Notes on How)

Despite recession worries and repeated action by the Fed to reduce inflation, the labor market continues to run hot-hot-hot—much like the weather in Oklahoma City.??

About 10 million jobs remain open across the U.S. There aren’t enough workers, leaving many employers scrambling to reach adequate staffing levels.??

A mix of demographic trends, from Baby Boomer retirements to declining birth rates, means businesses should not expect the situation to ease significantly, even amidst macroeconomic fluctuations. This reality has led many organizations to revisit their hiring practices and expectations with fresh eyes.??

One result—more businesses are welcoming non-traditional employees.??

What is a Non-Traditional Employee??

Let’s answer this question by first contemplating what we consider a traditional employee. The word probably brings to mind someone with relevant education, training, and/or credentials who has followed a career track directed toward the specific position they now fill. We might say a traditional job candidate “looks good on paper.”??

A non-traditional employee, by contrast, is someone employers would typically overlook or exclude during a hiring process. “Second chance hiring”—bringing on an individual with a prior criminal record—is one example. Also known as fair chance hiring, it has received a lot of coverage recently as a tool for social justice and a means for accessing a large, untapped talent pool.??

Nearly 78 million Americans—approximately one-quarter of the U.S. population—have a criminal record. Historically, any flag on a background check has drastically reduced employment prospects. But now companies ranging from AT&T and Verizon to Lowe’s, Microsoft, NBCUniversal, and Prudential—not to mention countless small and mid-sized businesses—are actively opening their doors to these candidates.?

Second chance hiring represents a seismic shift in employer practices, but it’s not the only way to broaden the candidate base. Organizations can also welcome a range of other employees who are frequently bypassed or discriminated against, such as:?

• Military veterans?
• Older workers?
• Individuals with disabilities?
• People with long-term unemployment
• Immigrants and refugees?
• Job changers from other industries?

Why Break with Tradition??

Many businesses first look to non-traditional employees when they have difficulty filling positions with the same types of candidates they’ve always recruited. Once non-traditional workers are aboard, however, most organizations quickly discover how much more these people have to offer. Things like:?

Recruitment & Retention Success?

By pursuing non-traditional candidates, companies no longer vie exclusively for the same candidates as everyone else in their industry. More inclusive organizations usually find they are ghosted less often, face less wage pressure from competing offers, and enjoy greater hiring success and lower costs.??

Non-traditional employees also display above-average loyalty and long tenure, making them a strong investment, even if they need a little more industry- or role-specific training upfront.??

Performance?

Non-traditional employees do well. In the case of second chance hiring, for instance, four in five individuals with a prior criminal record perform on par or better than others in their organization, according to SHRM.??

Hiring people with disabilities, to take another example, frequently means adding employees with unique strengths, such as the concentration and attention to detail exhibited by many individuals on the autism spectrum.??

All Ages Complement Each Other?

There are also advantages to building cross-generational teams. Stereotypes tell us that older workers will bring perspective while younger ones may operate like digital natives. While these statements are sometimes true, you may find that desirable traits like energy, innovation, and an ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment aren’t solely found in the young, just as steadfastness, work ethic, or wisdom are not limited to older individuals.??

Across America’s frequently ageist culture, we probably need to face the fact that we sometimes glorify youth in ways not supported by the evidence.?

Skills & Abilities?

Perhaps the best way to look at non-traditional employees is as individuals who are “skilled through alternative routes.” There are 70+ million of these STARS nationwide, disproportionately represented among veterans, rural Americans, and minorities.??

STARS commonly have soft skills, such as communication and interpersonal abilities, that are well suited to customer service, team collaboration, and more. Others have built focus, time management abilities, and additional aptitudes over their lifetimes. Many of these skills are difficult to teach, so hiring for competencies and training on specific job requirements can be an efficient approach to workforce expansion.?

After all, traditional career tracks don’t always make sense. What degree prepares one for a career in sales? And if higher education isn’t equally accessible, what people and skills do we effectively rule out by setting an unrelated B.A. as a job prerequisite??

A workforce that welcomes non-traditional employees will be diverse, and in many ways, this can make the organization more resilient, help connect with a broader array of customers, make a company a more interesting place to work, and drive greater creativity as differing perspectives and life experiences collide.?

Doing Good?

Although many commentators underscore that engaging non-traditional employees needn’t or shouldn’t be an act of charity—and will instead focus on the tax credits available in some cases—it is nonetheless an opportunity to make a difference.??

When giving a previously incarcerated individual the means to support themselves financially, employers help prevent recidivism and improve their communities. Opening doors for people with disabilities, who are often isolated, improves lives. Rethinking how we view a career trajectory and the many reasons someone may want to meander or be forced “off course”—an illness, a loved one who needs care, or an opportunity to travel the world—we can refresh our ideas of work and life, beyond the well-trod concept of so-called balance.??

For company owners and leaders, hiring traditional employees is an excellent way to do good while doing good business.??

Do Non-Traditional Workers Require Non-Traditional Work??

Hiring based on ability and potential more so than on résumé can empower an organization to tap new sources of talent and all the benefits they bring for workplace culture, performance, and results. What’s not to like? But does an openness to non-traditional workers require a non-traditional work environment??

Not necessarily. Many non-traditional workers are looking for precisely the same types of jobs most traditional employees seek, full-time with accompanying benefits. By the same token, part-time, flex-time, consulting, contract, and remote opportunities may enable an organization to engage older workers who want to combine meaningful employment with retirement dreams or caregivers who need flexible scheduling to work from home.??

Additionally, here are a few other things to think about:?

Hiring?

The biggest change when integrating non-traditional employees will often be hiring practices. You will only find the same candidates you always have by doing what you’ve always done. To encourage non-traditional applicants, organizations will need to cast a wider net, establish new candidate-sourcing connections, and even talk differently about open jobs when they post them.??

The screening process should put competence first. The old way was generally to ask “what’s wrong with this candidate?” and then home in on a gap in employment, criminal history, the lack of degree, or other easy check-box issues to rule people out and arrive at a few top prospects. Increasingly, employers are asking “what’s right about this candidate?” and then following up on any issues to determine how best to invite them in.??

Training?

When prioritizing soft skills during recruitment, increased training for industry- and company-specific hard skills may be required. Fortunately, things like operating a register are typically much easier to teach than a caring attitude. You may also want to consider onboarding and orientation efforts to help acclimatize individuals with limited recent work experience with expectations, formalities, and processes.?

Conduct a training needs assessment and fill gaps with programs, along with shadowing, coaching opportunities and even paid or reimbursed third-party credentialing or educational tracks.??

Management?

Non-traditional employees and their traditional counterparts may all benefit from newer, less authoritarian leadership techniques. Here at BBB-Oklahoma City, we resist the impulse to over-manage employees. Rather than insist on daily meetings and specific call volumes for our business development team—a field where many non-traditional employees can thrive—we accept that everyone is different and focus instead on results.?

Culture?

The biggest hurdle for many companies will be to build a welcoming work environment to support all employees. Team members who arrived via a more traditional career route must recognize the value of non-traditional employees and vice versa.??

Organize fun events, assign group projects, cross-train department to department, whatever it takes to help people from different backgrounds and experiences get to know each other and become comfortable and confident in the whole team.??

Next Step: Seek Resources?

Interested in including more non-traditional employees but need some guidance? A variety of organizations can help you find and integrate non-traditional employees. Here are a few to get you started:?

• TEEM is dedicated to breaking the cycle of incarceration and poverty.?
• Veterans of America-Oklahoma helps veterans obtain meaningful employment.??
• Deloitte offers a toolkit.??

And of course, we at BBB-Oklahoma City can offer resources or point you in the right direction. Simply reach out.?