Without the right talent, no organisation can function. And cutting lose the people who aren’t working out is a lot more difficult than making the right hiring decisions in the first place. As such, recruitment is something that should be considered vital by everyone in a position to make hiring decisions.
Let’s take a look at some of the features a healthy hiring process should have.
Maintaining Pace
The best talent isn’t going to be available for long. You’ll be in competition with other firms to secure it, which makes it critical that momentum be maintained. What’s more, by keeping things moving apace, you’ll minimise costs and ensure that the company is able to act decisively once the process is over.
Handle Transitions
On the other hand, there’s such a thing as too much haste. In emergencies, such as when managers have been forced to step down quickly, hasty hiring decisions can have disastrous long-term consequences. In such situations, temporary help should be drafted in to oversee the transition. This help comes courtesy of an interim manager: a highly-skilled professional charged with taking over in a caretaker capacity. While they might charge a premium for their expertise in the short term, their contribution can often pay for itself over time.
Make it Personal
Even the most experienced candidate will have qualms about starting in a new, unfamiliar environment. Anything that can be done to establish trust should be done. This might include having an informal meal with members of the team, so that they can become acquainted outside of a work setting. The right onboarding strategy should make a new member of the team feel welcome without overwhelming them. Done well, they’ll contribute from the word go.
Make Benefits Clear
Your prospective hires won’t just be motivated by the prospect of an inflated pay check. Any perks you are able to offer should be clarified up front. Employees want to feel valued and looked-after; they’re looking for the opportunity to advance, ample holiday time, the ability to work from home, and other perks like an on-site gym.
The Value of Shadowing
Having a new inductee follow around an existing worker can be a great way to familiarise them with the internal workings of a company, before they take on real responsibility. Make clear that this is a role expected of any of your workforce, and check in with the person being shadowed to ask how things are going.
Training from Within
For a new employee to be brought up to speed, they’ll need to engage in training. But the opportunity for advancement shouldn’t end there. Every opportunity to encourage employees to develop themselves professionally and engage in outside learning should be pursued.
