In this paper, personnel perfectionism is considered as a social phenomenon and indispensable condition for improving university ranking, developing research and educational performance, and increasing income level. Perfectionism is a systemic quality of human resource management in top universities which determines best employee recruitment, assessment, motivation, and retention methods. An analysis of 21 American and British universities shows that personnel expenditure varies from 50% to 80% and, on average, equals 60%. Benefits are aimed at providing personnel social wellbeing. This amount of expenditure is not the highest among other industries. Nevertheless, flexibility of benefits and their direct connection with performance results develops perfectionism of research and faculty staff: constant qualification and professional excellence improvement, conducting research aimed at discovery, aspiration to targeting key performance indicators and reaching outstanding results which exceed planned goals. Income from research in partnership with hi-tech companies in university budgets having top 30 positions in global rankings, constitutes up to 70% among all other income sources, and has remained unchanged over the previous ten years. New knowledge creation gives an obvious competitive advantage to universities possessing an understanding of company needs in labour resources in real economy and demand for professional competences of graduates. Partnerships with knowledge-based companies open up opportunities for universities to develop competitive programs of higher education and attract best students not only at the national level but also from abroad. Perfectionism in the system of personnel management is a factor of increasing university competitiveness but, in the long run, enhancing investment potential of region and country. University which is able not only to transmit knowledge accumulated by past generations, but also actively participate in addressing global challenges, is worth having the highest position in world rankings.