The Ethics Coach on the Secret to Hiring Honest Employees Also: How to maintain workplace confidentiality.

Q: I don't have the resources for the personality tests that big companies use to weed out dishonest job applicants. Since references generally leave out negative information about candidates, what's the best way to be sure we're hiring honest and ethical people?

A: The smartest thing any business can do is involve a mix of its best employees in the interview process. They'll bring the perspective of high standards and effectiveness, and are likely to look for the same traits in potential candidates. In smaller businesses, where employees are often stretched, everyone has a stake in seeing that excellent candidates are hired.

If it sounds like this process is too time-consuming for your business, consider the aggravation you'll avoid by making sure employees you trust get to know the finalists and weigh in with observations on cultural fitness. To avoid a pool of an elite group doing interviews, make sure all employees understand the vision you have for the culture being built--the behaviors that create wins for them, the organization and customers.