When it’s time to hire new talent it’s no secret that you want to find the candidate that’s the best fit for the job at hand. However, the traditional process for searching for the right person to fill those shoes has been shifting to what is known as a collaborative hiring approach.

Recruitee.com defines collaborative hiring as: “A team-based recruitment method that includes colleagues from other parts of the business in the screening, interviewing, and decision-making phases. Under this model, there is close collaboration between the HR and other departmental teams in the organization that will work in close contact with the chosen candidate.”

Getting employees, department heads, the new candidate’s supervisor, and even C-level executives to collaborate with the HR manager or recruiter brings solid results that benefit the company overall. HR managers and recruiters are handling many job requests at one time. Collaborative hiring takes some of the stress off their shoulders.

Plus, with input from the existing team, they get a clear picture of the skills, talents and abilities that are needed for a specific position. While the HR manager may still conduct the initial interview, team members can pitch in with evaluating and screening candidates before, during and afterward.

Here are four additional benefits of using a collaborative hiring approach:

1. Achieve a more thorough assessment of potential candidates. Your employees can outline what skills are needed for the position and help you determine appropriate questions to adequately assess those skills. When you have input from a variety of team members on what is expected from a new hire, it makes it easier to ascertain who to select as the best candidate(s) for an initial interview.

2. Determine a good cultural fit. Varied members of the team are bound to have different opinions on the type of personalities that would align with the company’s values. Rather than rely on one person’s opinion, together the team can create a complete picture of what it means for a candidate to be a “good fit” with the existing culture. And, during the interview process, having the new hire meet some of the employees gives him/her a feel for the company culture as well.

3. Access referrals more readily and increase retention. When employees know you’re implementing a collaborative approach, they’ll not only feel valued by providing their input, they’ll feel more confident suggesting friends, co-workers or colleagues as potential candidates. New hires tend to stay with a company longer when they’ve been referred to that company by someone they know.

4. Decrease the possibility of unconscious bias. When a team makes a decision collaboratively it helps eliminate bias when it comes to selecting the final candidate. It increases the chances that the new hire is chosen based on their skills and abilities versus any unconscious bias.

In the long run, a company’s continued success is an ongoing collaborative effort. Therefore, collaborative hiring not only makes perfect sense, but it’s a win/win for both your company, the team, and the new hire.