BEYOND THE CV: SELECTING FOR SITE PERFORMANCE

In Africa’s mining and heavy industrial environments, workforce reliability is a decisive factor in operational success. Yet workforce selection is still too often driven by paper credentials alone - CVs, certifications, and job titles that provide limited insight into how an individual will perform under real site conditions.

For operators managing complex assets, high-risk activities, and compressed shutdown windows, this approach carries hidden costs. Productivity losses, safety deviations, and supervisory overload are frequently attributed not to a lack of technical qualification, but to a misalignment between worker behaviour and site realities.

DGC Workforce Solutions, part of DGC TalentWorks, applies a more disciplined and performance-informed selection methodology, one that looks beyond the CV to assess proven site performance, safety behaviour, and cultural fit. This approach does not claim to eliminate operational risk. Instead, it enables clients to deploy workforces that are better aligned to the demands, pressures, and expectations of modern industrial sites.

THE LIMITS OF CV-BASED WORKFORCE SELECTION

A CV is a static snapshot. It records where someone has worked and what training they have completed, but it does not reliably indicate how they will perform under less-than-ideal conditions.

In practice, many workforce challenges emerge when individuals are required to operate under pressure, such as:

• Tight shutdown schedules with limited recovery time

• Delays caused by tooling, access, or permit constraints

• Fatigue during extended shifts

• Complex interfaces with other contractors

• Safety decisions that conflict with time pressure

In these environments, the differentiator is rarely technical ability alone. More often, it is behavioural discipline, safety awareness, communication, and the ability to integrate into structured teams.

Traditional recruitment models often struggle to assess these attributes, resulting in a mismatch between qualified workers and site-ready performers.

WHY PROVEN SITE PERFORMANCE MATTERS

In high-risk industrial settings, workers who add the most value consistently demonstrate:

• Adherence to procedures, even when unsupervised

• Early escalation of issues rather than reactive reporting

• Respect for safety controls under pressure

• Constructive engagement with supervisors

• The ability to work effectively within diverse, multi-national crews

These characteristics are not easily captured on a CV. They are demonstrated through previous site performance, particularly in demanding environments.

DGC’s selection philosophy is built on the understanding that workforce reliability is a behavioural outcome, not merely a technical one.

DGC’S SELECTION METHODOLOGY: LOOKING BEYOND CREDENTIALS

DGC Workforce Solutions employs a structured, evidence-based approach to workforce selection, designed to enhance predictability and minimise avoidable disruptions - without overstating outcomes or assuming client-owned risk.

1. EVALUATION OF SITE PERFORMANCE HISTORY

Rather than focusing solely on job titles, DGC assesses candidates based on:

• The types of industrial environments previously worked in (shutdowns, smelters, underground, brownfield operations)

• Exposure to high-risk or time-critical scopes

• Completion of assignments without repeated disciplinary or safety issues

This helps identify individuals who have demonstrated reliability in environments comparable to the client’s site.

2. SAFETY BEHAVIOUR AS A LEADING INDICATOR

Safety performance is treated as a core predictor of site readiness. Where information is available, DGC considers:

• Safety incident and non-compliance history

• Participation in hazard identification and toolbox talks

• Understanding of stop-work authority

• Attitudes toward procedures, supervision, and escalation

The objective is not to identify “perfect” records, but to prioritise workers who consistently demonstrate risk awareness and sound judgement.

3. CULTURAL AND TEAM FIT

Cultural alignment is often overlooked in workforce selection, yet it has a direct impact on site stability.

DGC assesses how individuals:

• Receive and act on instructions

• Communicate across language and cultural boundaries

• Respond to supervision and feedback

• Operate within structured reporting and disciplinary frameworks

Workers who integrate well into disciplined teams reduce supervisory strain and contribute to more predictable site behaviour.

4. ROLE-FIT AND BEHAVIOURAL ASSESSMENT

Where appropriate, DGC supplements selection decisions with third-party psychometric and role-fit assessments.

These tools help identify behavioural tendencies relevant to site performance, such as:

• Reliability and consistency

• Risk tolerance

• Attention to detail

• Team orientation and communication style

These assessments are used to inform decisions, not replace experience or professional judgement.

 THE IMPACT ON PRODUCTIVITY AND SAFETY

Selecting workers based on proven site performance does not remove operational constraints such as access, tooling, or scheduling. However, it significantly improves the conditions under which productivity and safety can be maintained.

Clients typically experience:

• More consistent attendance and readiness

• Reduced behavioural non-compliance requiring escalation

• Stronger adherence to safety protocols

• Improved communication between crews and site management

• Faster stabilisation during high-pressure scopes

The result is a workforce that behaves more predictably—an essential requirement for safe and reliable industrial operations.

SELECTION DISCIPLINE WITHOUT OVER-PROMISING

DGC is deliberate in how it positions its selection methodology. Improved selection does not guarantee production outcomes or eliminate site risk. Those variables remain under client control.

What DGC provides is:

• Better-aligned workers

• Clearer behavioural expectations

• Greater compatibility with structured supervision

• Improved visibility of workforce behaviour and trends

This enables clients to intervene earlier, manage performance more effectively, and reduce the hidden costs associated with poor workforce fit.

WHY THIS MATTERS FOR MINING AND INDUSTRIAL LEADERS

For decision-makers in mining and heavy industry, workforce outsourcing is no longer only about availability. It is about reliability under pressure.

A selection approach grounded in site performance helps organisations:

• Reduce workforce volatility during shutdowns

• Strengthen safety culture consistency

• Lower rework and supervision overheads

• Improve operational predictability

• Protect schedule integrity without transferring risk

In environments where margins are tight and disruptions are costly, this level of selection discipline becomes a strategic advantage.

BEYOND RECRUITMENT: BUILDING WORKFORCE CREDIBILITY

At DGC Workforce Solutions, selection is the first step in a broader performance-enablement process that includes supervision, safety integration, and continuous feedback.

By starting with individuals who have demonstrated the right behaviours - not just the right paperwork- clients gain a workforce better suited to the realities of African industrial operations.

 BUILT FOR THE SITE, NOT JUST THE CV

DGC TalentWorks continues to refine its workforce solutions by prioritising real-world performance over assumptions.

To learn how DGC Workforce Solutions supports safer, more reliable workforce deployment through disciplined, performance-based selection, visit:talentworks.dgc-africa.com

Built, not bought. Selected for performance, not just credentials.