Why Are Incompetent Individuals Selected and Promoted in Work Environments?

Why Are Incompetent Individuals Chosen and Highlighted Globally?

A Professional Article on Employment and Job Selection

Topics Covered:

1. A simplified definition of employment and the mechanism for selecting employees.
2. Why incompetent individuals are chosen and highlighted globally.
3. Tips for employees who might appear incompetent (in general).

A Simplified Definition of Employment and the Mechanism for Selecting Employees

Employment selection involves significant effort, complexity, and cost. Organizations might even hire specialized recruitment companies despite having HR departments. This is to allow HR to focus on other responsibilities. The process begins with defining the job design, which outlines the scope of work, tasks, rights, obligations, administrative relationships, and the position's place within the organizational structure.

HR then analyzes the job to collect data, enabling a redesign that improves work efficiency. The result of this process is a job description, which includes the title, tasks, rights, obligations, required qualifications, and skills. Job descriptions are critical for recruitment, whether through internal or external sourcing.

Internal recruitment involves hiring from within the organization, such as promoting employees from other departments. External recruitment targets highly qualified candidates from outside, including experienced professionals or government employees.

When internal or external sourcing fails, the recruitment process continues with advertisements, receiving and screening CVs, practical evaluations, and final interviews, eventually selecting the best candidates.

Why Are Incompetent Individuals Chosen and Highlighted Globally?

Choosing seemingly incompetent employees might sometimes be deliberate or accidental. It manifests as:

• Contradictory or arbitrary decisions.
• Procedural errors or protocol violations.
• Wasted resources or increased costs.
• High turnover rates and organizational conflicts.
• Inability to address problems or find appropriate solutions.
• Poor crisis management during emergencies or sudden changes.
• Brain drain, with talented individuals seeking opportunities abroad.

An Example:

A health ministry in one country decided to protect medical staff by prohibiting disclosure of medical errors to patients. This led to increased medical negligence, lack of accountability, and conflicts between patients and medical staff. The decision, influenced by pressure from stronger entities, resulted in unintended consequences like rising mistrust in healthcare systems.

Reasons Behind Selecting Incompetent Employees:

1. Control over Decision-Making: Appointing employees who can be manipulated to serve specific agendas, such as facilitating financial fraud or gaining disproportionate control of an organization.
2. Intimidation Avoidance: Managers might prefer subordinates who do not challenge their authority.
3. High-Risk Decisions: Assigning less experienced employees to handle sensitive or controversial decisions.
4. Political or Intelligence Manipulation: Appointing individuals for covert control or intelligence gathering, impacting organizational or governmental stability.
5. Revenge or Bias: Assigning employees to unsuitable roles, causing inefficiency.
6. Multiple Responsibilities: Overburdening employees with unrelated tasks, leading to burnout.
7. Criminal or Social Manipulation: Hiring individuals with questionable records to ensure compliance with unethical practices.

Tips for Employees Perceived as Incompetent:

1. Understand Organizational Guides: Familiarize yourself with job structures, communication hierarchies, and procedural frameworks.
2. Delegate Complex Issues: If new to a role, involve deputies or experts in decision-making.
3. Mental Health Monitoring: Identify and address mental or psychological issues affecting job performance.
4. Independence in Recruitment: Advocate for transparent processes, free from external interference.
5. Awareness of Professional Misconduct: Understand legal implications of workplace behavior, such as data breaches or negligence.
6. Continuous Learning: Broaden your knowledge in fields like psychology, sociology, economics, and technology for improved decision-making.