The Docline framework or how to increase your chances of success when punching in talent

Docline is a Digital Hospital that has, on the one hand, an all-in-one platform and API technology to manage all care flows (doctors, patients, pharmacies, from video consultations to electronic prescriptions), and on the other hand, a network of 6,000 digital doctors, including services such as 24/7 GP, pediatrics and more than 20 different specialties. Behind a great Healthtech company, there is an exceptional talent, its CEO Omar Najid.

Docline faces, like any company, the challenge of attracting and retaining talent, but not all of them face this challenge in the same way. A large corporation has little to do with a startup, Omar maintains, even within these there are nuances. “Startups have different challenges that change and increase depending on the growth stages they are in (Pre-seed, Seed, SeriesA, B etc.)”, he claims.

And in the case of Docline, a startup in the maturity phase and with some financial stability? “Realistically, the first thing to offer is a competitive salary and, from there, add other benefits. And this is already a challenge for a startup, due to the limitations they usually have in the budget. But hey, startups constantly think outside the box to find better solutions.”, he argues.

“Startups have to be creative to attract talent. Maybe we cannot compete in salary but we can compete in attractive projects or with company shares”

Thus, compared to larger companies, a company like Docline offers what only an innovation startup can provide, such as equity and the project. In the first case, “Faced with more senior positions, which already start from a good base salary, it is important to complement the offer with a good equity package”. Regarding the project, he details, “We, the most technological startups, must leverage ourselves on the possibility of offering projects that really have a tremendous impact. With a very strong innovation and disruption component, you can improve an industry and, more importantly, improve people's lives. And that is very attractive to top candidates who want to be part of something big and impactful.”

The strong competition for attracting and retaining talent is the challenge that a company like Docline must face but, as Omar has seen in conversations with other CEOs of companies in similar stages of development, it is a widespread challenge in different markets.

“With a very strong innovation and disruption component, you can improve an industry and, more importantly, people's lives. And that is very attractive for top candidates who want to be part of something big and impactful”

This competitiveness in the search for talent has been accentuated in recent years by the arrival of offshore models. “We have had cases of native people or people with a good level of English receiving offers from all countries. The world is more global than ever and your competitors to attract talent are no longer local, they are now from all over the world. Therefore, what goes beyond salary comes into play here. Companies need to work on employee engagement more than ever. Just as teleworking has advantages, there are also disadvantages. Finding the balance is not easy, with which we can compete with attractive hybrid systems”, he argues.

“Companies need to work on employee engagement more than ever. Teleworking has advantages and also disadvantages. Finding the balance is not easy, with which we can compete with attractive hybrid systems”

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YES OR YES: ALIGN VALUES AND CULTURE

The challenges of companies do not end in search and hiring. Four out of every ten voluntary resignations in Spain, in 2022, were from workers who had been in their company for less than 12 months. A little-known figure but one that has a very high cost. For this reason, guaranteeing an alignment between the values ​​and culture of the company and the candidate is essential.

Omar totally agrees with this perspective. “Where we have made the most mistakes in the past is precisely in finding that cultural match. But we have been improving and incorporating into our top management people who have already faced our challenges in other start-ups or scale-ups.. GThanks to these profiles we have been improving our framework and recruitment process. The conclusion is that it is not worth staying halfway. Previously we thought that, even if it didn't fit 100% with our values ​​or culture, it could work. But our experience has shown us that this is not the case.", comments.

“If there is not total alignment, it does not work. We must not underestimate the importance of cultural fit and values”

Therefore, he insists, “Although values ​​and culture may seem like abstract concepts, they are key. Of course, it is necessary to have the technical and personal skills that we are looking for, but what we have discovered is that a strong alignment between the employee and the company is essential.”

And what is the strategy to achieve it? “We have learned to give the importance of using the appropriate framework to be able to delve deeper into all the skills that this candidate has, hard and soft.”

Thus, Omar recognizes, “For cultural fit, we ask very direct questions to candidates to see how they react, and for technical skills, we have a trick. Just as in the health field, where a second opinion from an expert is requested, we do the same when hiring. Sometimes we look for very specific profiles that we don't have the knowledge or direct experience for, so we double check with an expert in the area. For example, if we are looking for a product profile, we consult the most recognized CPOs in Spain and ask their opinion about the candidates.”

“In the very competitive environment we live in, if what you do doesn't fit you, your values ​​don't fit, the first time you get a better offer, you're going to leave.”

By following these steps they have managed to reduce the risk of error during the hiring process. If you don't hire the right person in a startup, it can mean a year of delay in what you rectify and find another person. And a year at a startup can mean life or death.

Once they have found this framework in hiring, Omar confirms that they have decided to never ignore it. “We have learned to always use our framework. We have had cases of referrals that come recommended in which we have skipped the process. It didn't work. Our conclusion has been to never take anything in the profiles for granted, you always have to continue doing the process,” he remarks.

“The fact that the hiring manager is a reference profile in the sector, and the possibility of entering into a project with a direct impact on people's health, makes Docline an attractive project”

THE THREE INGREDIENTS OF THE DOCLINE RECIPE‍

And is there a secret weapon to successfully tackle talent acquisition? Not as much as a weapon -and less secret-, but Omar does highlight three keys.

- “The first is to use reference hiring managers. For example, our CTO is a very powerful profile, and when he talks to technical profiles he gives a lot of confidence. It makes a difference.”
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- “The second point, although it is not something we do intentionally, but is part of our essence, is the impact. We are in a company that directly influences people's health, this represents a real and concrete impact. We have created a Digital Hospital with which we are changing the rules of the game. Nowadays, talent seeks projects with purpose, not just working for the sake of working, but contributing to a significant goal. At Docline, we can offer that type of project.”
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- And, the third is that “Docline's product itself becomes one of the benefits that workers enjoy”. And that, Omar insists, is very powerful because it is a product that benefits them and their families.

“Our conclusion is that you should always follow your hiring process. You cannot assume anything about a profile, even when it is referred to"

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THE FUTURE OF TALENT ATTRACTION

At this point, and as a good representative of a technological startup, Omar's vision focuses on the advances in software tools to facilitate the creation of offshore teams or to reach professionals who, until now, it was unthinkable to be able to hire.

“Technology is going to be key. It will help us access global talent. Years ago it was unthinkable that you could sign a relocated team as we do today. There have always been teams that you could outsource, but now tools are coming out that match the need you have with the talent that exists anywhere in the world.”

With these strategies and visions, Docline not only faces current challenges to attract and retain talent, but also prepares for future labor market dynamics, leveraging technology to face global competition and ensure a significant impact on health. through its platform.

“Without specialized tools, finding senior talent, who also needs some less common skill, is like looking for a needle in a haystack”.