Category Archives: Recruitment

VIDEO

Asking the right questions is critical to great recruitment decisions. Check out how to get it right in this informative video.

Don’t put your company at risk by recruiting the wrong people. Its easier and more cost effective to get it right first time, let HRtoolkit show you how.

 

VIDEO

The 90 day trial period is not a get out of jail free card, but used correctly it can be a fantastic tool. Watch this video to find out how best to use trial periods.

Its easier and more cost effective to get it right first time, let HRtoolkit show you how.

VIDEO

Recruiting someone is a decision worth $100,000’s. After all, you hope they will stay with your company for at least a few years. Watch this quick video to make sure you get the profile right.

Don’t put your company at risk by recruiting the wrong people. Its easier and more cost effective to get it right first time, let HRtoolkit show you how.

CASE STUDY

An interior design company had had three administrators in the space of two years.  Each of these women took three months to come up to speed, so that was nine months out of nine years when they were not fully productive (at $40K salary that’s $30K out of the profit of the company).

The company needed someone to do the administration, but because they had walk-in clients they also needed someone with an artistic flair… it makes perfect sense!

The problem was they were recruiting wannabe interior designers, rather than administrators. These wannabe’s were bored with admin, so they didn’t do it well, and ultimately left.

Using competency based interviewing (HRtoolkit has loads of sample interview questions) they were able to ask the right questions to find the skills applicants  actually needed to be successful in the job.

The company then used the HRtoolkit reference check forms to find out about how the applicant performed at their previous jobs, and the HRtoolkit employment agreements to provide a legally compliant contract.

Within a week of the new employee starting in their job, she had the whole office organised… and it turned out she was into flower arranging, so did have an artistic flair.

We are all attracted to mini-me, but mini-me doesn’t like doing admin any more than big-me does!

The wrong recruitment decisions are a waste of money and a waste of profits. Its easier and cost effective to get it right first time, let HRtoolkit show you how.

Would you usually make a $100k expenditure decision without getting professional advice?

For most of us the answer is a firm no. But $100k is the absolute minimum any recruitment decision will cost you. Attracting and retaining the right people is crucial to any successful business. Let HRtoolkit show you how.

Hiring people in a tight labor market is more work for managers than it used to be.  Whilst a focus on looking after your staff, particularly your great performers, is a priority you also need to find workers to replace those who leave and bring in new staff for your growing business.

The HRtoolkit Quick Guide to Recruitment outlines a variety of channels to communicate your vacancy. These channels can complement the traditional internet job sites and media.  An often-overlooked avenue is asking current staff if they know anyone suitable.  Several companies we work with, run a very successful “refer a friend”  programme which provide financial incentive for staff who find a good candidate.  Other less formal advertising channels to consider are local clubs, church groups, student job search, chamber of commerce or sports clubs.

It’s important to follow a recruitment process thoroughly:

• Screen CV’s. Look at your applicants’ work track record, have they job-hopped a lot? Do they have the key skills you require?
• Telephone interview candidates. This will help you understand their general suitability and expected pay rate.
• Have the candidate fill in the HRtoolkit job application form. This provides some protection to the employer that the candidate is being honest about their achievements, experience and declaring anything that may pose a difficulty for the candidate in fulfilling the role.
• Use the HRtoolkit sample interview questions. Good competency-based interview questions increase your ability to make a good hire by 60%. Scenario-based questions can reveal people’s work style e.g organised vs unstructured, good time management vs reactive. Competency-based questions assist you in building a better picture of the candidate than simple “yes” and “no” questions.

Once you have decided on a candidate, ensure you use the correct employment contract by going to the HRtoolkit Employment Contracts section of the document library.

After you have recruited, induction is the next step.

Inducting your staff well makes a great first impression: It speaks volumes to a new staff member when you show them you are prepared and ready for their arrival.  You want your new employee  to feel welcome and see that you have prepared for their arrival.  Most of us has experienced a poor induction.   For example, arriving to your new job to find no desk or computer set up,  or arriving to find your manager is away and the office junior gives a quick tour around the premises as the “induction.”

This does not make for a good first impression of the business, nor does it inspire the your employee.  Those first 90 days are crucial to how your new employee will fit into the company and the HRtoolkit New Employee Checklist gives you a great outline for welcoming and successfully inducting your new staff

Here are some of the common pitfalls we come across, with companies not  preparing well for their new employee.  Sadly, we often hear about these situations too late – during the exit interview of an excellent employee.

1. Confusion and frustration because the employee has no clear understanding of their role

• As an employer you should have provided a clear job description during the hiring process

2. Lack of communication from management about work expectations, outlining clearly:

• The standard of work you expect
• Explaining clearly what is required from the employee, when they are not meeting the standards
• Give training/ coaching and support to reach that standard
• Reach a sound decision during a 90 day trial.

Never exit a person on day 89 of the 90 day trial – it is high risk and unnecessary stress.  If you are following the above pointers, and you will be able to constructively manage the successful performance of your new employee. It is important to check your 90 day trial clause is valid.

Finally…Performance and goal setting is a discipline that should continue throughout your employee’s time with you.  You may think you cannot afford the time to coach staff, however if staff leave, the cost to the business is conservatively $25,000 often more.

Would you make a $130K expenditure decision without doing your research?  For most of us (who plan to stay in business), the answer will be no.

As an absolute minimum, any recruitment decision is a $130K plus decision.  Just think, if you recruit someone you hope they will stay for at least 2 to 3 years and 2.5 years multiplied by $53,040 (Median Full-time salary Mid 2020) = $132,600.  

And that is without even thinking about reputational damage, stress, issues with getting rid of someone etc. if you recruit the wrong person!

Recruiting Mini-me’s

One of the most common mistakes is recruiting Mini-me’s.  I.e. those people who you like, because they are like you.  But guess what, Mini-me’s like doing the same things you do, and also avoid doing the same jobs you do.  So if you don’t like doing detail work, the chances are, your mini-me will also avoid doing detail work.  You need to recruit to fill those skill/job preference gaps.

The best way to do this is to really clearly define not only the skills you need the person to have, but more importantly, the competencies you need them to have.  You can train someone to use a particular computer programme, but it is virtually impossible to train someone to be good at multitasking if their preference is to complete each job fully before moving onto the next.  For example, a bookkeeper will need attention to detail, and the ability to work methodically through the tasks in order.  However, a salesperson in a busy retail environment will need to effectively multi-task, jump between jobs easily, but get everything done accurately.

Recruiting warm bodies

The other fatal recruitment mistake is recruiting a person because they are available! 

Despite everything that has gone on over the last year the recruitment market is exceedingly tight in many sectors:

1. Trades and construction workers are pretty much dictating their pay rates
2. Many tourism companies employed backpackers who are not currently here (though hopefully a few more Australians now!)
3. Highly specialized workers who were often recruited from overseas because the skills didn’t exist in NZ are struggling to get into the country because of border restrictions.
4. Workers are starting to move companies, but there is probably still a pretty high degree of reluctance to switch job if you are currently in employment.

But the dangers of settling for the person “who is available” can be catastrophic for the business. Reputation damage; costs to manage them out; damage to the team of a poor recruit pulling others down etc.


Maximising Recruitment Success

We are running a webinar on 27^th May at 10am where you will learn:

1. How define the gap you are trying to fill
2. How to write an advert to attract the right candidates
3. How to ask the right questions at interview to identify if they have the necessary competencies.  For example, if you ask the question “are you good at teamwork?” we all know the answer is yes.  But if you ask, “tell me about the last time you were involved in a team, what went well and what went badly?” you will find out a lot more about the person and how they interact with others.
4. The importance of reference checking and doing it yourself.  You need to hear the answer to the question “would you reemploy?” as “yes” can have a lot of inferred meanings depending on how the answer is delivered!
5. What are the alternatives to the traditional sit-down interview as a recruitment method?

NB using these simple recruitment processes can increase your chances of getting the right person from 8% to 60%

HR is easy…
The HRtoolkit document library includes whole suite of recruitment tools which can be found at this link.

You just need the right tools and documentation, so sign up for HRtoolkit for only $349 + GST per annum for all the tools and documentation you need, and access to the expert when you are not sure exactly what to do.

Free Webinar Programme

Don’t forget to sign up for our next webinar on Thursday April 29^th 10am – Bonus Schemes – how to ensure they drive the right behaviour

And our webinars over the next few months are:

1. May 27^th 10am – Recruitment – how to significantly increase your chances of finding the right person for the job
2. June 24^th 10am – Types of employment engagement – Casuals, Contractors, low-guaranteed hours agreements – what the risks are, and how to ensure you have the right agreement in place
3. July 29^th 10am – Induction – getting the first impression right and ensuring that new employee is up to speed ASAP.

Looking forward to seeing you at the next webinar
Cheers

Lisa Mackay
Managing Director
021 741 544