Anyone with responsibility for hiring or promoting employees knows how frustrating it can be to choose a candidate that seemed right only to later find out that they weren’t a good fit for the job. 

Bad Hire Costs are Higher Than You Think

In the staffing world, it’s commonly known that a poor job fit can cost a company 30% or more of the first year salary. Costs come from recruiting, on-boarding, training, lost productivity, overtime, mistakes, and lost customers. Other related bad hire costs include morale issues and disengaged employees. For small and medium sized organizations a bad hire can cripple operations.  

Hire Right the First Time

Choosing the right person among a pool of qualified candidates is not an exact science. The hiring manager must weigh the pros and cons of each individual and make a final selection.

The Job Posting

The first step in selecting the right candidate is to craft an accurate and enticing job posting. A typical job ad focuses on what the employer wants from the applicant such as the academic degrees, specific skills and a strong work ethic. However, in this competitive job market focusing on what employers can offer job seekers will result in better employee matches. Job seekers are looking for work autonomy, career advancement and inclusion in decision making.  It’s these types of job opportunities that produce a larger number qualified applicants. Postings focusing on what the organization can offer received three times as many highly rated applicants as ads that only demanded specific traits from applicants.

The Interview

The next important step in the selection process is asking the right interview questions. Having a good set of relevant questions is a critical step in the hiring process. Preparing a structured interview, with questions that address the attributes you need grow your business and adapt to constant change is very important. All candidates should be asked the same set of questions. During the interview, you will be seeking to learn the answers to these highly valuable questions. Is the candidate highly adaptive? Are they team players? Do they see learning as pleasure? Discovering the answers to these questions will help in selecting the best-fit candidate.

Reference Checks and On-boarding

Other important hiring steps include the reference check and a well organized on-boarding plan to get your new hire trained and working productively as quickly as possible.

Consider Hiring a Professional Recruiter

At the end of the interview process, if there does not seem to be a suitable candidate, then consider doing one of the following:

• Hire the candidate who most closely matched the requirements of the job.  Plan for dedicated training to bring that person’s skills up to needed levels.
• Re-advertise and reconfigure the position to attract more qualified candidates. .
• Retain the services of a Professional Staffing Firm who will actively source qualified candidates for your role. 

The best tool at your disposal is to seek advice from a staffing firm. Hiring a recruitment specialist to assist you may seem costly at first, but choosing the wrong candidate will definitely cost you more. Avoid bad hire costs by hiring right the first time. Learn more about Fusion Staffing Services. 

It’s unrealistic to assume that change will be welcomed with open arms by staff members. Not all change is good for every individual, therefore it’s best to prepare for the worst, hope for the best and implement a transition plan.

The holiday downtime has passed and it’s now time to get down to business. As we move into 2017, it’s the perfect time to tackle some of the biggest issues that face any people manager. A phrase that has come up consistently throughout 2016 was “change is the new normal”. This fact is even more relevant in 2017. Prepare for the predictable by knowing what to expect from your staff when that inevitable change comes to fruition.

To guide you, here are three tips to help your organization put a plan in place to support your staff through organizational change.

1. Expect Resistance

First and foremost, recognize that with change comes resistance. It’s unrealistic to assume that changes will be welcomed with open arms by staff members. Not all change is good for every individual, therefore it’s best to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Resistance to change is a normal human reaction. In your transition plan, have a strategy to address push-back that includes positive reinforcement and consequences that are clear and precise to avoid misinterpretation.

2. Communication is Key

Communication is the probably the most important tip to overcoming resistance to change. From the beginning, clearly and concisely explain why the change is taking place. Explain how the change will impact each employee’s job and exactly what is expected of each employee before, during and after roll-out. Each employee needs to understand “what’s in it for me”. This is of the utmost importance. Don’t leave anything out and always try to be as transparent as possible. As a people leader make the effort to speak to individuals in a manner in which they prefer. Communication options include a formal meeting or email or an informal meeting over coffee.

Also, try taking a phased approach to not only the proposed changed but to how it is communicated. Downloading a bunch of information at once can be overwhelming. Throughout the process, provide regular updates and allow staff to ask questions. Time for Q&A will help people understand the process which will make it all the more easier for them to accept the outcome.

3. Do it Right the First Time

No one wants to endure constant organizational reviews and recommendations, so do what needs to be done to get it right the first time. Dealing with failed attempts to change your organization’s structure or operations will leave a lasting and negative impact on how employees see future initiatives and changes. From the start, make sure you do everything in your power to make the changes successful. Doing it right the first time involves setting realistic timelines and constantly communicating to your staff.

It’s unfortunate that many companies fail to successfully implement change because they overload employees and expect instant gratification. The reality of change management boils down to one fact: It takes time. As stated, break the changes down in phases. Guide employees through the change procedure to make sure they understand the process correctly before moving on to the next phase.

For most organizations, the key to successfully handling change is to use the influence of the managers and supervisors who are the closest to the front-line employees…those who will be most affected by the changes. If they are neutral to or resistant to a change, chances are that their employees will follow suit. Engaging positive “influencers” early on and making them a champion of sorts will help the process that much more.

Change is inevitable and with change comes resistance to change. Above all, the best way to ensure change is accepted is through effective communication and following these key tips to get you successfully to the finish line of 2017 and beyond. 

Developing a corporate culture that attracts top talent is recognized as an important business priority. Culture-driven companies like Google and Netflix, that explicitly put their people first, may have found the key to success. They live by the motto “take care of your people and they will take care of your customers.”

The workplace has changed tremendously in the past thirty years, and what used to be important to employees no longer holds as much weight. Thirty years ago, job seekers were looking for a steady pay check every two weeks at a “blue-chip” company where they could put in their 40 years and come out with a good pension. Now, the employment landscape is constantly changing and new career paths are emerging almost daily. Today, a steady pay check while you ride out that long road to retirement is not as attractive or even possible.

Change started with the evolution of technology in all industries. Change continues with the rise in entrepreneurship and the ever increasing role of start-ups as they evolve into multi-million dollar companies. Technology has changed the employment landscape and changed the way people look at employment. The typical 9 to 5 workday is no longer the norm, especially for millennials who are looking for work-life balance. Companies need to have a good corporate social responsibility platform, actively practice sustainability initiatives, on top of offering good salaries. All of these factors contribute to a corporate culture that attracts top talent in 2016.

Core Values are the Blueprint of Corporate Culture

International companies like Google and Netflix have worked with their employees to create manifestos that are the blueprint to their thriving culture. NetFlix’s culture manifesto “Freedom with Responsibility” is one of the most popular documents on the internet with more than 11 million views. Culture-driven companies like these that explicitly put their people first may have found the key to success. They live by the motto “take care of your people and they will take care of your customers.”

Developing a unique and inviting corporate culture has become an issue for many employers because it relates to employee retention. The first step to cultivate an attractive corporate culture is to encourage participation from all levels of employees. Encourage teamwork and collaboration in the creation of company core values. Employee involvement will boost morale giving employees the feeling that they are heard and valued. 

3 Easy Tips to Forge an Attractive Corporate Culture

Not every organization has the resources of Google or Netflix. Here are three easy tips that outline how small to medium sized businesses can forge a corporate culture that attracts the right talent.

1. Listen

   Employee-to-employer feedback is very underrated in companies of all sizes. Be proactive and ask your employees for feedback. What do they like about working at your company? Are there things they hate about the workplace? How would they do things differently if given the opportunity? Focus on employee needs to create a more positive corporate culture.

2. Engage

   To engage is to share. Every organization should consider sharing company goals and financials with their employees. This type of dialogue can help open the lines of communication. Share information to create a culture of openness in the organization. Being transparent keeps everyone aware and properly engaged.

3. Reward

   Showing appreciation is always valued, especially when it comes from the boss. Give recognition where it is due by acknowledging and rewarding employees to energize them.

Consequently, for companies to truly create a good working culture that engages employees and boosts morale, they have to pay attention to the wants and needs of existing employees and future employees. Work collaboratively and include social features that encourage the worker to be actively involved in the company, rather than just thinking of work as a part of the daily grind.

Five employee engagement tips that can easily be incorporated into your day-to-day operations.

Many organizations don’t recognize the importance of employee engagement. The fact is employee engagement can affect the future and ultimate success of your team or company. What’s more is that employee engagement is something that can be easily tackled and improved. You know when your workers are passionate about their job when you see them come to the office every day eager, enthusiastic, and actively contributing to the company’s goals. If your employees don’t exhibit this type of attitude on the job then you may be facing an engagement gap.

When workers are not motivated or connected to their jobs, management should take note. This is not something that a leader should ignore or brush under the rug. Lack of engagement is a serious issue. Having disengaged staff can slowly reduce morale, customer service levels and employee retention. However, there is some good news. There are plenty of ways to motivate your team and to help them be more inspired by their work. Below we outline five easy employee engagement tips you can implement at work.

1. Be Transparent

Always share information with your team. If you neglect to share crucial information, employees are forced to come to their own conclusions. Be consistent with providing your team with updates on the organizations performance and goals. Communicate information in a relatable way, within the context of what it means for individual employees and their job. Transparency by management has a direct correlation with employee satisfaction and happiness. Keeping your team in the loop will help them to feel better connected to the company and minimizes the “us versus them” perception of the management-employee relationship.

2. Ask for Input

Always seek feedback from members of your team. Practice an open-door policy so that its easy for staff to approach management on any issue or concern. Some members may be a bit uncomfortable sharing their thoughts, so try to reach out to them directly to ensure their concerns and ideas are heard.

3. Reward Creativity & Success

Without a doubt, people perform better at their jobs when their efforts are recognized and rewarded. These rewards do not have to be in the form of a raise. Rewards come in many forms including something as simple as a day off,  acknowledgement in the company newsletter or the opportunity to increase their responsibilities. Overall, workers who are rewarded will be more invested and engaged if they are working on a suggestion they came up with or are appreciated for their contributions to the organization.

4. Be Flexible

Provide employees with the opportunity to create their own work schedules to better suit their personal needs. Having a work from home program or some type of flex scheduling will always result in employees who are more productive, happier and more engaged then when forced to stay in a cubicle from 9 to 5.

5. Play Together

Take the time to have fun with your team. Whenever possible have training and celebrations off site as it not only breaks up the routine, but also encourages creativity and collaboration. Ultimately, a change of scenery provides a break and helps individuals to reconnect with their coworkers.

Engagement may be the current buzz word in the HR world, but its importance should never be minimized. By practicing these employee engagement tips, your business can increase its productivity and growth by nurturing relationships with employees in an environment that promotes long term growth.

Looking for more resources on managing employees? Download our free manager guides from the Fusion Industry Resources Page.