Category: Blog

Making the Most of your Hiring Decisions

Effectively hiring employees involves making informed decisions at the right time and executing them properly. Our focus this month is to highlight some effective methods that will help you make educated hiring decisions and hopefully avoid the cost, liability and stress of hiring the wrong person.

One of the first keys to a successful employment relationship is to have a very clear understanding of the position you are trying to fill what type of results you expect from the employee. Job descriptions change over time, but an initial description is necessary both for the employer and the employee. Informing a prospective employee of his or her job function and how

their job impacts the goals and objectives of the company is critical to a successful relationship.

Once you have a concise job description and a candidate in mind, discover all you can about the prospective employee before you hire them. A simple yet effective process of screening your employees before you hire them can be accomplished using the following guidelines:

• Review several prospects before selecting the top candidates
• Inform the top three candidates that they are in consideration for the position and will be required to provide references and background info.
• Check all references carefully.
• After selecting top candidate, provide a written “Contingent Job Offer” with requirements for a background check and/or a drug screen test or whatever else you require before hiring someone.
• Job offer should include all pertinent information regarding job including tentative start date, wage and salary information, job description, supervisor, etc.
• After successful completion of the background check, inform the employee that the job is theirs and they can start according to the agreed upon start date.
• Provide the employee with all pertinent employee policy information at the time of hire before they start work, including new hire documentation, employee handbooks and employee benefit summaries.

Plan before you hire and spend more time preparing for their employment. Employee turnover is an expensive way to learn that someone is not right for the position.

Why Proactive Human Resource Management
Isn’t Just for Big Business Anymore

Businesses have been forced to make drastic changes in workforce levels, employee policy and operations just to survive the economic downturn we’re facing. These actions include furloughs, performance related terminations, layoffs, wage reductions and temporary furloughs. Nearly every one of those moves carries litigation risk and employer liability if not performed correctly.

Employees are feeling the pressure as well. Their own lives are in chaos due to real estate woes, family job loss and other financial pressures. Many employees are becoming desperate to find a quick solution to their money problems.

With little to lose, more and more employees are willing to file labor board claims or other legal action, hoping to score a big settlement. Their allies are attorneys who will look for any reason to sue.  The smallest problems in the eyes of an employee can provide the foundation for an unwarranted claim and lawsuit.

So how does this change the workplace in regards to Human Resource Management? It changes it drastically, that’s the short answer. The longer answer involves a clear intention to build a solid foundation of HR strategies that are designed to maximize limited payroll dollars, protect business assets and set in motion necessary workplace changes designed to position the business for future growth and profit.

This solution is simple for larger businesses that have the resources and expertise to manage the complexities of HR. For small businesses however, they are highly disadvantaged in this area as it is usually the owners or unqualified staff that handle complicated HR related issues. Most must find creative ways to effectively manage their employees so they can succeed in a competitive marketplace but these methods usually lack any sophistication or focus. Without a concentrated focus on improving productivity, liability control and labor expense, businesses are doomed to mediocrity or worse, failure.

The most successful business have a clear focus on the human capital of their business. Now, more than ever, every business which depends on employees to get the job done must find ways to focus on strategic employee development and efficiency of human resource compliance.

If want succeed in a difficult economic environment, let Champion review your HR situation and see if outsourcing can help.