Employees are the main force that makes a business run. From production to customer service, they play essential roles that impact the success and growth of any company. Therefore, many companies invest a load of effort and resources in hiring the right people.
For a growing small business, it’s crucial to hire capable and reliable people from the get-go to start on the right foot. That said, how does one choose the right employees? Here are ten tips for an effective hiring process:
Define Your Company Culture and Goals
Before you start hiring, you must be clear about what type of employees your company needs. If you want to maintain a flexible environment, for example, then you need candidates with flexible personalities and open mindsets. If you want to have a more strict work environment, your ideal candidate would be someone who can follow the established rules and regulations.
In addition, it’s essential to set your company goals. These goals need to be specific and ambitious and act as an incentive to keep your staff motivated. As an example, if your goal is to double the amount of revenue in three years, then you need employees who will want to achieve that goal and work hard toward it.
Formulate a Detailed Job Description
Job descriptions are essential when hiring. They serve as a tool to accurately measure applicants who have the abilities and skills that will benefit your business. By including specific information, you can determine if the candidate will fit in with your company culture and goals.
A good job description provides basic information about the candidate’s skills, experience, and motivation. For instance, you may want to list the job title, summary, and specific responsibilities. You may also want to include the working conditions, salary range, how candidates can apply, and a contact person.
Establish Clear Responsibilities and Accountability
Once you have created the job description, the next step is determining if the position will require any special skills or tasks. Defining responsibilities and accountability of employees will help avoid confusion over job duties and help you get rid of potential problems in the long run. You need to be specific about tasks, so there is no room for ambiguity or misunderstandings once an employee starts working.
Once you determine the exact responsibilities of the position, it’s time to define truthfully how much work will be involved. At this point, you should also factor in all of the job-related responsibilities (e.g., time spent on preparation and on completing tasks). You may also include duties like budgeting, handling products and inventory management, and dealing with customers if the position calls for these things.
Get All the Necessary Documents in Order
Before kickstarting the hiring process, make sure you have all the forms that a new hire will need to fill out before they get started. In Canada, employers need to prepare new-hire paperwork, including TD1 forms, Personal Tax Credits Return, and new employee’s Social Insurance Number.
Many companies also ask new hires to sign legally binding contracts, such as a non-disclosure agreement, job offer, and employment contract. Once you have everything organized, read through everything to make sure that you have not overlooked something. If there are any errors, you should fix them before the new hire starts work. For legal documents, it’s best to have them looked at by a professional who knows the law to ensure everything is legal.
Determine Your Target Hiring Rate
The number of employees is one of the biggest expenses for most companies. Therefore, it’s important to determine how many employees you need before hiring them, especially for small businesses. You should only hire candidates suitable for the current work demand and have a high likelihood of success.
Choose Your Hiring Process
Hiring is only half the job. Once you’re done hiring, it’s time to screen and assess candidates. You can use a comprehensive questionnaire or just a few simple questions to determine your candidates’ suitability for an interview. This is how you can find out if they are motivated enough to work hard during a workday and enthusiastic about the company goals.
Ask your candidates to present a copy of their resumes. This will allow you to check whether they have the qualifications for the job. In addition, you can ask them if they have any questions regarding the interview process or job roles. This will give you a glimpse of what kind of employees they are and how receptive they are to feedback.
Once you’ve conducted a thorough interview, you can use personality tests to help you figure out how suitable they are for the job and the company culture. Finalize your decision by checking their references and conducting interviews with their previous colleagues. You can also ask for a trial period so you can see how they work under pressure.
Photo by Sora Shimazaki from Pexels
Conduct a Background Check
It’s vital to hire people who will not bring any trouble your way. While a lot of candidates will disclose their criminal records, some may lie about them. To avoid any lawsuits or risks, do a thorough background check. You can ask for all the information in advance and present it to candidates before doing the interview or hire a third-party background checker. However, before looking into a candidate’s background, make sure that you have their written consent to go through this process.
In addition, you can ask them if they have ever been in court or whether they’ve had cases against them in the past few months. You can also ask about their health status, for example, whether they are suffering from any allergies or long-term medical problems.
Look Beyond Their CV
It’s crucial to hire employees who can work independently and don’t need constant supervision. When choosing, you should evaluate how candidates interact with the team and assess whether they have the social skills necessary to thrive in your company. You may also want to interview them in pairs or groups to determine how well they work as a team. After conducting interviews, you should also check if they have any passion for your company’s long-term success. Also, assess whether they’re talented enough to manage their workload and goals.
Many times, CVs do not tell the complete picture. A candidate may not have the experience in their CV, but they possess the skillset that perfectly matches the role you’re hiring for. The CV is only a glimpse of an applicant’s professional background; it’s your job to draw out the specifics to determine whether they are an excellent fit for your company.
Create an Effective Onboarding Process
Once you hire employees who are suitable for your company, it’s also important to get them off to a good start. You can achieve this by incorporating a formal onboarding process. This process will not only make them feel welcome but also prepare them for all the changes and challenges that will come their way.
The first step of this process is to introduce new staff members to the company culture, vision, mission, core values, and goals. It’s essential to introduce them to the current team and tell them what kind of people they will work with. You can also tell them about the company’s challenges and how you are working toward your goals.
The second step is to introduce new employees to their tasks by explaining what they need to do daily. Include the roles of their colleagues who are already working at the company so they know whom they need to approach for specific tasks.
The third step is to arrange a team-building activity, which will help them get to know the company culture and their fellow workers.
Part of the onboarding process is to provide them with information about all the benefits they can enjoy. Make sure new employees know that they can speak up about any problems or complaints if they have any at all. Lastly, you can decide what kind of training you want to give them before starting their daily work.
Communicate Your Company Value
Once all the steps mentioned are taken care of, explain what kind of work you need done and what they can (and cannot) expect from the job. It’s important to mention that you have a low tolerance for employees who don’t work hard or jeopardize the business. You can explain this in detail during the screening process and, once more, during onboarding.
It’s also imperative that you tell candidates how you and your team are working toward the company goals and why their job is so important. Explain that they are part of something bigger, which will inspire them to put in more effort. Lastly, have a clear recruitment policy, so they know what to expect during and after the hiring process.
Photo by
Identifying the Right Employee for the Job
A company’s success depends on a lot of factors. However, hiring the right employees can undoubtedly lead to a more profitable business. For this reason, you shouldn’t hire anyone unless you’ve figured out exactly what kind of work they will be doing. In addition to that, you should choose highly motivated candidates who are willing to go above and beyond for your business. You’ll also want to hire people who are capable of working with other staff members as well as working independently.
