Why We Hire in Groups

Think back to your first day of college or perhaps a job you started with a “first year class” of new hires. There was probably camaraderie among the group of newcomers and in the right environment, you likely helped each other learn, grow, and navigate new challenges.

As CEO of Endevica Bio, a high-growth biotech start-up, I’m constantly looking for new team members to advance our mission of developing and bringing to market revolutionary peptide drugs that treat cachexia, a devastating wasting disorder that afflicts up to 80% of patients with advanced cancer.

A lesson I’ve learned from heading Endevica, from my previous role helping start-ups accelerate their businesses, and as a student of organizational design, is that hiring in twos, threes, or more can bring out the best in new employees. Like a class of college Freshman, the right group can be stronger than the sum of its parts. A team, hired together, can help each other grow and create unique synergies that benefit the entire organization. That applies to new hires of all levels: from entry, mid-career, to executive level professionals.

The key for me is to hire the right team, even if it means leaving positions unfilled until we find the best people for the roles. At Endevica, we’re looking for unique sets of skills and interests, and that is often found in a group who complement and support each other, rather than in one individual.

Don’t get me wrong. If we find one great candidate, we’ll hire that person solo. But the ideal would be to onboard at least one more new hire simultaneously.

Russell Potterfield is the Chief Executive Officer of Endevica Bio.