Employees – Why the right ones matter.

Selecting the right employee is never easy.  Most owners and managers are never really trained to understand how to select the right employee, let alone knowing the right questions to ask or the best process to work through when hiring.

Employees have a dramatic impact on a business. Choosing the correct employee can make all the difference, whereas the wrong employee – well lets just say can make everyones life difficult – including your customers.

To help we thought we would begin to tackle some of the things we as employers MUST look for in a potential hire. What simple rules can we live by, that helps avoid situations further down the road. Here are 5 simple rules

So for this article, we will tackle the issue of ‘what to do when preparing to hire an employee’

1. Are You Ready?

When looking to hire a person, the need for that person/role should be clear, along with the budget in place to hire them. Having the reason for hiring as ‘overwhelmed’ or ‘just to busy’ is generally a recipe for disaster.

2. Be Prepared: Your workload will initially increase, not decrease.

A new hire will ALWAYS create more work for you individually, NOT LESS. Improving your own workload and structure is critical prior to taking on a new person.

Creating ads, interviewing, hiring and then training, mentoring and not to mention ongoing reviews all take precious time.

3. Job Description and expectations

One of the most overlooked areas that many businesses fail to do, is clearly define an employees job role, duties and expectations. Spend the time to clearly define this in writing. Applicants should address this, and employers need to ensure that they have discussed these with the candidate. “I didn’t know X” is not a good response from an employee, and is at the least an embarrassment to the employer if it was not discussed”. Does your organization have an employee handbook that spells out the code of ethics of the company? Every organization should have a handbook. ‘Don’t hire without one.’

4. Employees tools and resources

Do you have all of the tools, equipment and training that the employee will need?

Ensuring the employee is given all the right tools to succeed takes foresight, planning and preparation. Taking on a new employee is an investment in them. So choosing the correct employee should be as careful as you would be in selecting say your future spouse, or a stock investment. Like an investment it can go either way – Up or Down. Can you afford the loss if the employee fails? Employees are people.  Prepare and have contingencies in place for the times when they may fail or under deliver.  What happens if they leave?

A failed employee costs a business more, than if they didn’t hire any one at all.

5. Hire Slow, Fire Fast

Taking on an employee is just like taking on a new business partner.  The adage ‘Hire Slow, Fire Fast’ needs to be in the forefront of every executive, owner and management team.

Conclusion

With the right fore thought and planning, the employer to employee relationship can be a wonderful experience.  Take your time and remember – Hire Slow, Fire Fast

Next time we will look at some of the behavioral interview questions you should ask at the interview.  By using them you will gain greater insights into the character of the candidate, which can lead to hiring the best person for the job.