The last thing your business needs right now is the wrong new hire. As we all begin bouncing back from COVID-19 and adapting to our ‘new normal’, many of us are witnessing firsthand the hiring challenges facing our ‘adaptive workforce’.
Here are three problem/solutions that might help you find your way.
Hiring Scenario #1
Problem: Your previously laid-off employees are not willing to immediately return to work.
Solution: If members of your staff are questioning if they should return to work and give up unemployment pay now that your doors are open again, you clearly have a culture problem. Most employees want to be part of the bigger company vision and need to see their value and placement in that vision. In the short term, your employees may be making more on unemployment but that won’t last long. A career should provide stability, assuming you are an all-star employee. Sit down with your team and review the mission, vision and values of your company to make sure you are all working toward the same goals. Remember, there is no ‘I’ in team.
Hiring Scenario #2
Problem: Your employees want to continue to work, however, their children are out of school for the remainder of the year or they need to stay at home a while longer to care for a sick dependent.
Solution: Adapt. We have said it many times, and we mean it! Adapt, adapt and adapt. Think creatively. Does this employee need to come into the office every day? Could this role be transitioned into a long-term virtual position? What would this position look like at 20 hours a week vs. 40? We have said it before, and we will say it again, show a little grace. A global pandemic was not on our radar, but we are living in one, and we must adapt. If there is no room for flexibility in a role, so that it can be helpful to your employee, consider moving the employee to a different role within the company. At the very least, communicate with your team so that everyone feels supported. Again, communicate!
Hiring Scenario #3
Problem: You need a workforce and you need it fast.
Solution: Do not rapid hire. We guarantee you that if you hire anyone that just applies or walks in your door looking for work, you will find yourself in a challenging situation. At all times, you need to follow a proper recruiting process. You never want to fill a role with a body and hope for the best. At Allora, we use the Predictive Index tool for all of the hiring and placement projects we manage for our clients. Rather than testing individual skills, Predictive Index assessments measure personality characteristics such as dominance, extraversion, patience, and formality.
Hiring Best Practices
Here are some best practices for hiring:
- Create an accurate and updated job description for the position.
- Know what questions you can and cannot ask during an interview.
- Keep detailed notes on candidates and their responses to your questions.
- Always conduct a proper background check.
- Develop a formal offer letter that will be signed by both you and your new hire.
- Review your employee handbook with your new hire.
Lastly, review your recruiting systems and processes annually and only hire for what you need so that you can focus on building a strong company culture with a team that works together to achieve big-picture goals.