Employee Referral

Employee referral, or co-optation, not to be confused with favoritism, is a trendy recruitment technique. Almost all Moroccan and multinational companies are adopting it; it is not uncommon to see some companies grant "referral bonuses" to any employee who recommends a good profile, making co-optation an official recruitment method.

Xerox France is a perfect example. At this copier and printer manufacturer, co-optation has been encouraged for over 15 years, after managers noted that the success rate of recruitments is doubled when the candidate is referred.

In Morocco, it seems that companies have followed suit. In any case, recruitment via networks (including co-optation) is not new at all. On the contrary, most company recruitment is done through this channel; word of mouth and networking, not to mention favoritism, have always existed. Today, this recruitment method is used in a more organized way, particularly because of the scarcity of specialized profiles.

This practice helps retain referring employees, requiring them to reflect on their company and the benefits it can derive from the collaboration they propose. Involved in the company's life, they feel valued.

The risks of errors are also reduced. Thanks to the recruiting employee, it is possible to better understand the personality of the referred candidate, one of the most thorny points in the recruitment process.

Conversely, even if co-optation does not disregard classic hiring techniques, it also allows the "referred" candidate to bypass the CV screening phase, which guarantees them at least an interview. In addition, having reliable information, they are better able to judge whether they will thrive in the company.

As practical as it is, this recruitment method is not improvised. In many companies, headhunters receive, depending on their "hunt", weekend stays in luxury hotels, dinners in great restaurants, or substantial bonuses. In a multinational company, 5,000 DH is granted to those who manage to find engineers or senior managers, and 3,000 DH for certain specialized technicians. The bonus is systematically paid if the candidate successfully completes their probationary period.

Setting a remuneration can lead to latent conflicts between employees who have had to present candidates. Therefore, co-optation without remuneration is preferable.

Recruitment: is co-optation an effective method? LA VIE ECO careers - Friday, January 13, 2006.