Your business is expanding, and you need to hire some help. So, you put a help wanted sign in the front of your business. You expect the position filled by the end of the day. If only it were that easy. Staffing is a complicated process. Adding people to your business requires an investment on your end. Whether they come with years of experience or not, they will require some training. If you want the best hires you need to have competitive incentives. Gone are the days of putting out a help wanted sign and hiring the first warm body that walks in. You need a strategic plan.
Figure out what you need:
If you needed that new hire yesterday, being patient is difficult. But, you need to have a hiring plan. How will you address needs as they arise? How will you deal with conflict? What positions do you need in place, so you can grow effectively to meet demand? Create an organizational chart. But, don’t use the people you already have in place. Make your organizational chart as if you were preparing to launch your company. Create your job descriptions based on the chart.
Advertise:
Advertising on job boards brings in lots of resumes. Online advertisements are a great tool. But, they shouldn’t be the only way you find talent. Many of the resumes you will receive through job boards are unqualified. This can lead to frustration on your end.
Advertising alternatives:
There are many tools to use alongside job boards to fill the role. Consider industry trade associations during your search. Tap into your network and see if you can get any leads. You can outsource the hiring to a staffing agency. You will need to provide the agency with some information like a job description. They do the advertising and initial vetting of candidates for the role. They send you the best candidates and it saves you time.
Be strategic in the interview:
Often, employers are making sure the person can do the job functions. They ask about their previous responsibilities and making a hiring decision from there. There is so much more that needs to go on though. You need someone who will be an asset to your company, not just a cog in the wheel. You want someone who is a strong cultural fit in your business too. Otherwise, it can lead to conflict.
Once you have great hires, you want to keep them:
Turnover is expensive. The cost of hiring is expensive. But, you also must account for the loss in productivity because your team is short staffed. Proper training takes time, but it’s worth it. It requires a seasoned employees time to train. It also takes time to get the new hire up to speed so they are productive. It benefits you to manage your team well.
- Communication: You don’t have to hold a daily meeting to communicate with your staff. Unless it is necessary frequent meetings clog productivity. You can let them know of work or policy changes in other ways. Email, instant message, and group text are some options. Keep people in the loop.
- Get to know the team: Your team is at work to perform a job. However, getting to know them personally helps your working relationships. You didn’t hire robots you hired people. People need relationships.
- Transparency: Everybody makes mistakes. You must acknowledge it, remedy it, and move on. Your team will make mistakes too, they are human. By setting the standard it will encourage them to emulate your behavior.
- Be the example: Your team is looking to you for guidance. You need to be an example of what is expected. If you are coming in late, shirking your responsibilities, and only working half the time you are telling your team that is acceptable. This is bad for business.
- Conflict management: Some form of workplace conflict is inevitable. But, how you handle it will determine if your team stays or goes. Ignoring problems and hoping they go away will only make them worse. You must address conflict head-on and resolve it. Then everyone can move on with their work.
Planning for your staffing needs is not cut and dry. It requires strategy and time. As a business owner, you may not have the time to do all the tasks involved with hiring, onboarding, and training. Let Boutique Recruiting take some of those tasks off your plate. Our team specializes in several industries and will help you find your next new hire. Contact us today.
