How behavioural hiring works in superannuation funds

Behavioural hiring in superannuation funds works by using psychometric data and work personality insights to predict how a candidate will perform, collaborate, and adapt within the specific regulatory and member-focused culture of the fund.

This approach moves beyond the technical checklist of financial services experience, focusing instead on the underlying traits – such as attention to detail, ethical decision-making, and collaborative spirit – that define long-term success in the sector.

Key takeaways

• Behavioural hiring uses objective data to match a candidate's natural work preferences with the unique demands of superannuation roles.
• It reduces reliance on CVs, which often fail to reflect how a person handles high-stakes compliance or member service.
• By assessing 'Work Personality', funds can identify if a candidate is a natural Auditor, Doer, or Advisor before they even interview.
• Implementing this strategy helps super funds lower turnover by ensuring a strong culture fit from day one.

The superannuation sector is undergoing a period of intense scrutiny and rapid change. With increasing regulatory pressure and a heightened focus on member outcomes, the 'who' behind your operations has never mattered more. Traditional recruitment methods often fall short in this environment because they prioritise what a person has done over how they actually work.

We have seen that technical skills are essentially the ticket to the game, but they don't guarantee a win. A candidate might have a decade of experience in fund administration, but if their natural work personality clashes with your team's existing dynamics, the result is usually friction and eventual turnover. This is why many leading funds are shifting toward a behavioural hiring model to build more resilient, high-performing teams.

The shift from technical skills to work personality

In a typical superannuation fund, roles are often highly specialised. Whether you are hiring for compliance, investment operations, or member services, the technical requirements are non-negotiable. However, if you only hire for skills, you risk building a team of 'brilliant jerks' or individuals who look great on paper but struggle to navigate the complex interpersonal landscape of a modern fund.

Behavioural hiring works by identifying the specific work actions required for a role and matching them to a candidate's natural tendencies. At Compono, we categorise these tendencies into eight distinct types, such as The Auditor or The Doer. For a compliance role, you might specifically look for an Auditor – someone who is naturally methodical, detail-oriented, and cautious.

When you understand these natural preferences, you can stop guessing during the interview process. Instead of asking 'Are you detail-oriented?' – to which every candidate says yes – you use objective assessments to see if they actually enjoy the scrutiny and precision required to succeed in a high-stakes financial environment. This is a core part of how Compono Hire assesses candidates across organisation, job, and personality fit.

Predicting performance in high-compliance environments

Superannuation is a game of precision. A small error in reporting or a slip in compliance can have significant repercussions for both the fund and its members. Behavioural hiring provides a layer of 'people intelligence' that traditional interviews cannot reach. It allows you to see how a candidate reacts under pressure and whether they are likely to follow established procedures or take unnecessary risks.

Consider the role of a fund administrator. This person needs to be reliable and consistent. By using behavioural insights, you can identify The Coordinator types who thrive on structure and order. These individuals don't just 'do' the work; they find satisfaction in the process and the targets. This alignment between the person and the task is the secret sauce of employee retention.

We often find that why new hires fail isn't because they lacked the skills, but because their work personality was a poor match for the role's daily reality. A highly creative 'Pioneer' type might feel suffocated in a role that requires 90% routine compliance work. Behavioural hiring flags these misalignments early, saving both the fund and the candidate from a costly mistake.

Building diverse and collaborative teams

One of the biggest challenges for super funds is avoiding 'culture fit' becoming 'culture same'. If your entire investment team consists of the same work personality, you risk groupthink. Behavioural hiring actually supports diversity by focusing on cognitive and behavioural variety rather than just demographic markers. It allows you to intentionally hire for gaps in your team's collective thinking.

For example, if your leadership team is full of The Evaluator types – who are great at logical, critical analysis – you might find that you are missing The Campaigner energy needed to inspire the broader workforce or sell a new strategic vision. Behavioural hiring gives you a map of your current team so you can see exactly where the holes are.

By using a workforce intelligence platform like Compono, you can visualise these dynamics. It helps you see how a new hire will interact with their manager and peers. Will they provide the necessary friction to spark better ideas, or will they simply add to a lopsided team culture? Understanding this interplay is vital for long-term stability.

Reducing bias and improving candidate experience

The traditional interview is famously prone to unconscious bias. We tend to hire people who remind us of ourselves or who are good at 'performing' the interview. Behavioural hiring levels the playing field. By using objective psychometric data, you give every candidate a chance to show their true potential, regardless of how polished their CV looks or how charismatic they are in a 30-minute chat.

Candidates in the financial services space also appreciate this transparency. When you use tools that explain their own work personality back to them, it creates a sense of mutual discovery. They feel understood, and you get a clearer picture of their motivations. It transforms the recruitment process from a one-sided interrogation into a strategic alignment exercise.

This data-led approach also speeds up the hiring process. Instead of wading through hundreds of near-identical CVs, you can prioritise candidates who have the highest behavioural match for the role. This efficiency is crucial in a competitive market where the best talent – especially in specialised areas like ESG or data analytics – is often off the market in days.

Key insights

• Behavioural hiring in superannuation ensures that candidates possess the natural temperament required for high-compliance and member-focused environments.
• The process involves mapping the eight core work personalities to specific job functions to ensure long-term role satisfaction and performance.
• Objective data from behavioural assessments reduces unconscious bias, leading to more diverse and effectively balanced teams.
• Super funds that prioritise work personality insights see a reduction in new-hire failure by aligning natural tendencies with the daily reality of the role.

Building a high-performing team in a superannuation fund requires more than just finding people with the right certificates. It requires a deep understanding of how people think, work, and collaborate under pressure. By integrating behavioural hiring into your recruitment strategy, you can build a more resilient workforce that is perfectly aligned with your fund's mission and values.

Where to from here?

If you are looking to move beyond the CV and start hiring based on real work personality data, we can help you get started with a more scientific approach to talent acquisition.

• Explore: Compono Hire

Frequently asked questions

How does behavioural hiring differ from a standard personality test?

Standard personality tests are often generic, whereas behavioural hiring focuses specifically on 'Work Personality' – the traits and preferences that directly impact job performance and team collaboration. It is about how someone acts at work, not just who they are in their personal life.

Is behavioural hiring suitable for senior investment roles?

Yes, it is particularly valuable for senior roles where decision-making styles and leadership approach are critical. It helps ensure that a high-level hire has the right balance of analytical rigour and collaborative ability to lead a complex team.

Does this replace the traditional interview?

Not at all. Behavioural hiring provides the data to make your interviews better. It gives you specific areas to probe and helps you understand the 'why' behind a candidate's answers, making the face-to-face time far more productive.

How long does it take for candidates to complete these assessments?

Modern assessments are designed to be efficient. For example, a work personality assessment usually takes less than 10 minutes, providing a high return on data for a very small amount of the candidate's time.

Can behavioural hiring help with team culture after the hire?

Absolutely. The insights gained during the hiring process can be used for ongoing development and team building. Knowing that a new hire is a 'Helper' or an 'Advisor' allows managers to tailor their communication and support style from day one.