Growing businesses through people

Over the past year, EXTRO and Nextara have worked closely together delivering assessment centres, speaking to candidates from all walks of life and supporting businesses to think differently about how they attract, hire and develop people.

One thing has become incredibly clear: businesses have become very good at hiring skills, but not very good at understanding humans.

That isn't necessarily because business owners don't care. The ongoing economic uncertainty means many founders constantly feel like they're chasing their tails. When cash flow is tight and markets are unpredictable, it's natural to look for shortcuts or the quickest way to solve problems.

Unfortunately, that's often where businesses get hiring wrong.

One thing that has always stood out about Malachi's approach at Nextara is the question he asks candidates before anything else:

"Who is Michael?"

Not what role do they want. Not how much experience do they have. But who are they?

It's a simple question that changes everything.

Because we're not hiring a set of skills. We're hiring a human being who has ambitions, responsibilities, motivations and challenges outside of work.

Assessment centres have reinforced this time and time again. We've seen people with all the experience and technical capability on paper who simply weren't ready for work because of things happening in the background of their lives. Equally, we've met people who may not have had the strongest CV but possessed resilience, humility and a mindset that would make them invaluable long-term employees.

Traditional interviews don't always uncover these signals.

The businesses that are succeeding are becoming much more intentional about collecting more information before making decisions. Not just asking, "Can this person do the job?" but also, "How will this person grow within our business?"

The difference is significant.

Businesses that simply hire people get employees.

Businesses that develop people build assets.

We've also learned that adversity matters. Two people may hold the same job title, but their journeys to get there can be vastly different. One person may have had a relatively straightforward path, while another may have overcome barriers, navigated uncertainty and developed resilience along the way.

That lived experience has value.

As AI and automation continue to accelerate, human skills will become even more important. Problem solving, adaptability, empathy, relationship building and community engagement will separate thriving businesses from struggling ones.

The organisations that will leapfrog their competitors won't necessarily be the biggest. They'll be the ones visible within their communities, telling their stories, creating opportunities and building genuine relationships with people.

The businesses that will thrive in 2030 will be the businesses that centre everything around people.

Technology will evolve. Processes will improve. Automation will increase.

But people, relationships and collaboration will remain the biggest differentiators.