The Sydney Accounting Market is a melting pot of individuals from various backgrounds and generations, not to mention different personalities. When looking for your next hire, the chances are, you’ll have a decent idea of what you’re looking for on paper. Whilst a lot of organisations will naturally gravitate towards hiring extroverted employees (those charismatic, natural-born leaders), don’t assume that they’re always the best fit for the job. In reality, introverted individuals can bring just as much to the table!
Here are some of the top reasons why introverts should be considered and what can be done to get the most out of these team members.
They may not be the first to throw a suggestion out to the floor, but introverts often encompass a key strength that is equally as valuable – creativity. Because they’re naturally more comfortable listening, they tend to think more about what someone is saying and use that to influence their input.
Having the ability to listen and absorb information on a deeper level helps introverts come up with innovative ideas or solutions to problems. Consequently, hiring people of this nature can help to nurture the growth of more well-rounded and thought-out ideas from the team.
Many people see introversion as a barrier to leadership because they associate “people skills” with charisma and extroverted personalities. However, this is not accurate and there are plenty of strong leaders who classify themselves as introverts.
Although not always openly conversational in large groups, introverts tend to be more aware of emotional cues and sensory details. This makes them great at developing deeper, more meaningful connections, for example with team members and clients in one-on-one settings. In addition to their problem-solving abilities, the listening skills we discussed earlier also help build trust and respect in the workplace.
Whether you’re in leadership or not, decision-making is a critical skill. As an introvert will often think before they speak or act, they make thorough and conscious decisions as a result.
A big advantage when considering introverts vs. extroverts is that the former will seldom act on impulse. They take time to do their research, weigh up their options and determine the pros and cons before taking any leaps. This leads to informed decisions that have been considered after reflecting on different angles.
Companies that hire introverts suggest that the key to getting the most out of their strengths is to cultivate an environment that allows employees to be themselves and work in the way that suits their personality. Here are some tips to help create an introvert-friendly workplace:
Introverts can be reserved in large group settings and easily flustered when put on the spot. Encouraging multiple forms of communication is an easy way to keep introverted employees engaged with their teammates. Consider opening up additional mediums of interaction (other than the phone), such as IM and texting, which provide quieter team members with the ability to speak up in their own time.
Many introverts are comfortable working alone and need fewer distractions. Instead of having open floor plans, try adding private workspaces for team members who prefer quieter atmospheres. Admittedly, this can’t always be possible, but opportunities to work from home or have conversations in quieter environments can help mitigate the issues surrounding quiet vs. energetic workspaces.
Traditional meetings can be intimidating or unproductive for people who like to reflect and absorb information before speaking.
Whilst extroverts often thrive on bouncing ideas off other people, introverts often prefer to prepare and plan ahead. It’s as easy as clarifying the meeting objective/agenda in advance and giving employees an opportunity to do their homework and formulate ideas. Steps like this will go a long way towards promoting better collaboration and brainstorming, as well as generating better solutions.
Both extroverts and introverts have essential qualities that can be utilised in any business environment. We’re all equipped to be successful in different ways and effective teams will usually have a good balance of introverted and extroverted traits. When it comes to recruitment, it is wise to remember that no matter what the personality type, it’s about selecting the right person with the right attributes for the role!
If you’re looking for support with your hiring needs in the Sydney Accounting market, get in touch with the team at Richard Lloyd Accounting Recruitment.
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