Mastering Recruitment with the ShuHaRi System

Welcome back to the Business Builder newsletter! In today’s issue, I’ll walk you through the ShuHaRi system, a framework from martial arts that we’ve adapted to innovate our recruitment and salary structuring processes.

Estimated Read Time: 3 minutes

What is ShuHaRi?

The ShuHaRi system originates from Japanese martial arts and outlines the journey of mastery through three stages of learning:

1. Shu: Also called the Beginner’s Mindset, this stage focuses on following the established rules, techniques, and forms. Learners imitate their teacher or master and strive to replicate their actions precisely.

2. Ha: This is the intermediate stage, where learners begin to question and explore alternatives, experimenting with variations and developing their own style or approach. It is a phase of breaking free from strict imitation and gaining a deeper understanding of the underlying principles.

3. Ri: The final stage, also called the Mastery Stage, is characterized by transcending the techniques and forms altogether. At this stage, the practitioner has achieved mastery and no longer relies on conscious thought or deliberate practice. Their movements become natural, intuitive, and creative, unbound by any particular framework.

How We Use ShuHaRi in Our Company

We apply the ShuHaRi method across the recruitment and salary structuring processes, allowing us to categorize candidates accurately into levels (Shu, Ha, or Ri) based on their experience and skills. This ensures that salaries are calculated fairly, based on their assigned expertise level and the maximum salary for that level.

After assessing a candidate’s key performance criteria, we assign them a percentage score. This score is used to calculate their salary, which aligns with their ShuHaRi grade, ensuring a smooth and fair process from evaluation to compensation.

Candidate Evaluation Criteria

Here’s an example of how we evaluate candidates based on key criteria such as culture fit, experience, and potential:

Salary Structure Table

Below is the salary structure table that demonstrates how the ShuHaRi levels correspond to salary bands:

This system helps us evaluate, place, and compensate talent fairly based on the employee’s expertise level.

Next Steps:

Interested in applying the ShuHaRi system to your recruitment and talent management processes? Access the full SOP of our recruitment process here, which includes a detailed step-by-step guide.

I’ll keep sharing more actionable insights on improving your business processes.

Stay tuned for next week’s issue.