Motivating Employees

An unknown author once said, “If you expect your employees to go the extra mile for your customers, you must prove that you are willing to go the extra mile for them.” Remember, your employees are customers, too; if you don’t take care of them, they will find others who can. Losing a star staff member can mean lowered productivity and efficiency, issues that are bound to affect your company. They can even jeopardize your sustainability and survival.

Certainly, managing human resources is a continuing challenge for business owners. Employees are the backbone and most integral part of every organization. Keeping your staff engaged goes beyond financial compensation. It’s a matter of creating “win-win” strategies. That is, adjusting your management practices to boost employees’ motivation, resulting in improved productivity and profitability.

Having the “3 Rs” in place will help you motivate employees and tap into their potential, which will strengthen their connection with your business, eventually coming to regard it almost as their own.

Reach Out

Just like in marriage, constant communication leads to a lasting relationship. A simple smile and greeting cost you nothing but can mean a lot to your employees. Since they typically want job security and stability, try to be as transparent as possible, and update them on the company’s financial standing and any happenings that could impact their job.

Another way to reach out is to schedule a regular one-on-one session, asking your staff how they’re doing, asking about their needs or concerns, and even addressing any personal matters that they may want to share with you. Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric, shared that he would always congratulate his staff on their life events, such as welcoming a new baby, celebrating a birthday, a child recently graduating, etc. When your workers feel that you’re aware of what’s going on with them and that you know what they value, they will surely stay with you. Maintaining an open-door policy can be a highly effective feedback mechanism as well, but obviously it needs to be within reasonable bounds. As the boss and leader, your words should have the power to motivate your people and inspire them to be at their best.

Recognize

Everyone likes to feel valued. Your team will appreciate being recognized for their abilities, beyond simply being paid for their work. Keep employees motivated by challenging them and strategically expanding their duties. You can cross-train them or increase their responsibilities (once again, within reason). The key is to head off the possibility of them growing complacent or bored without burning them out.

Another method of non-monetary recognition is to empower your employees the authority to self-manage and make decisions. Give them the opportunity to utilize their skills and expand their horizons. People are motivated when they work with less supervision. Manage your workforce but avoid micromanaging them. Provide room for them to share their thoughts and views on how they could improve their jobs, and the company as a whole. Recognize their suggestions and contributions, such as posting their names on an internal bulletin board or sending them commendation letters and congratulatory notes or emails. Whenever possible, broadcast their achievements to the rest of the team. They will be motivated to continue perform at a high level, and their recognition will inspire others to do the same.

Always acknowledge the value of teamwork. Develop steering committees to work on various organizational initiatives and projects. This can foster co-operation and help drive productivity, as well as create a more positive work environment.

Reward

Your employees will welcome your support and encouragement when it comes to developing and expanding their skills. You can  set them up in training programs that might otherwise be costly to them as individuals, but for you the ROI will prove to be positive for your business. You should also examine your compensation package and consider ramping it up. There are cost-effective ways to do so, such as:

  • Casual Friday or Jeans Day
  • Participation in sport activities such as a charity run (which can also double as an advertisement)
  • Allow telecommuting or working at home, which will help the company save on energy, supplies, and even office space
  • Involve your staff in relevant professional associations, depending on their expertise
  • Health insurance extended to family members

 

Motivated employees are a valuable asset in an organization. Motivation is a matter of coming up with innovative ways to spur your staff on and encourage them to work to their strengths. Designing attractive incentive programs without breaking the bank while still managing to solidify your workforce and potentially improve profits. Be sure to celebrate wins, and remember that the ability to develop a unique corporate culture is in your hands.

 

M. Beltran | DBPC Blog

How To Hire Right

Beyond having the right product and service, another vital aspect every organization should look into is “Finding the Right Fit”. Hiring someone whose character the business must have in order to succeed. Failure to do so will cost your company time, dollars, and effort. However, given proper tools, training and direction your new recruit will  become your premium capital investment. So, don’t take recruitment for granted, remember, your employees are your most valuable asset. Now, the challenge is how to hire right, the first time. Although the world has become extremely technologically-driven, it still needs Human Resources to be successful.

Let me share a three-part checklist that will surely yield better results in getting the perfect match…

Establish the need to hire.
A proactive and strategic human resources always refer to the plantilla to ensure that the company has the right quantity and quality of people  able  to keep the business running. In cases of manpower requisition, HR in collaboration with the Hiring Manager must be able to answer the two (2) key questions before initiating  recruitment:

  1. Is the vacancy created due to internal movement such as resignation,  maternity/paternity leave, demotion or de-hiring?
  2. If none of the foregoing was the reason, is it an additional headcount due to business expansion?

Remember, hiring is an overhead expense. Thus, ROI shall always be taken into consideration. Also, it is a must to review your existing workforce, you might have a potentially qualified internal candidate who has the eligibility or whose promotion is long overdue. Review employee profile/records or announce/advertise vacancies via intranet or bulletin boards. You can also check if there is an underutilized personnel that can occupy/fill up open position.  If and only if you have fully exhausted your internal resources that you should proceed on searching for external candidate.

The bottom line here is this: Hiring Manager with the assistance of HR may opt promote or distribute duties within the department/organization. It saves the company time and money at the same time increase motivation of employees.

 

Conduct Job Analysis.
Envisioning what you want or defining labour needs in clearer  terms. This tool is not only used in recruitment, it could also be a realistic basis for   training, wage and salary administration, job re-engineering, health and safety.

The output of job analysis is job description (JD). A well-crafted JD shall be the foundation in designing a competency-based recruitment strategy. It clearly defines major scope and responsibilities of the job as well as relationship with other jobs/departments. It also emphasizes working conditions and hazards, most especially for high-risk profession. A ideal JD is always up to date, with specific title and detailed duties. It has the reporting structure, challenges and opportunities, qualification, knowledge, education and personal characteristics.

From JD, HR can develop job specifications, this is statement of minimum acceptable qualities of a position. The success measure is always the value of the person hired to execute the tasks.

 

Map out your Recruitment Platform.
 The goal is to have a systematic hiring process that will aid HR and Hiring Managers in attracting the best candidates for the job. The bottom line is: the more qualified candidates you have, the more likely you are to locate the most suitable person to fill the job. Utilizing the details in the JD, HR together with Hiring Manager and approval of top management,  create job specifications, salary range and timeline. To increase employee morale, it is necessary to advertise the position internally prior to exploring other sources.  Internal placement is a great way of motivating employees to perform at their fullest potential. If no one will be selected from within the organization, reasons must be clearly explained and communicated or it might lead to grievance. If lack of skills is the cause, HR may recommend training so that person will be prepared should the same position arise again. One of the advantages of internal placement is culture fit, which is the number one consideration in hiring. A candidate can be fully qualified based on KSA but the risk is how the person can mesh well with the culture. When an internal candidate is offered the new position, transition timeline with the current supervisor should be planned.

HR can now proceed to external sourcing when no one qualifies. The commonly employed sources are social media (LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook), on-line jobsites, newspaper ads, job fairs, and campus recruitment (colleges/universities). Conducting career talks to top graduating students is another strategy to invite top graduates to join the company. For high-profile positions, HR are trained on how to court passive candidates or they can use manpower agencies or head hunters who are likewise equipped with tools and expertise in recruiting.

 

Effective and Efficient Screening and Selection.Due to scarcity of jobs, there is an influx of active candidates. To simplify HR’s job, setting of criteria/parameters and preparing structured interview questions, will help in separating the desirable to average. It is like designing a Hiring Scorecard.  In constructing interview questions, equal employment opportunity and conformance with legal and labour standards should be taken into consideration.

HR performs the following in screening and selecting candidates:

  1. Resume paper screening enables HR to easily identify which one to process by matching information to the job checklist.
  2. Phone interviews will be conducted for candidates who meets at least 3 out of the 5 items. Only those whose rating is 8 and above in the phone screening will be invited for face-to-face in-depth interview. Again, based on point system, HR should present the short-listed candidates to Hiring Manager who will make an initial impression.
  3. Don’t forget to verify sterling credentials of at least top 3 candidates through professional reference checking. Some industries even require credit history such as banks, insurance companies and the like. When the report is ready together with all the other documents used in screening, HR will present again to Hiring Manager for the final decision. The closing will happen at job offer. For some companies, a non-compete and confidentiality of information agreements are presented during the job offer. These documents are needed to protect the company’s products, clients and trade secrets.

On Boarding is Important.
Make sure candidates are well inducted about the company’s mission, vision and core values before endorsing him/her to his/her assigned department. Be sure to provide the initial tools he/she needs to become successful on the job. It is ideal if a company can invest in a “First 100 Days Development Plan”. Keeping in mind that workforce must embrace the company’s philosophy and business principles, because this is when employee engagement begins.

 

In conclusion, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to recruitment, it should always be tailored and catered to the type of business. As a tip, don’t embark on a search without answering 5W’s and 1 H. Why/Who/When/Where to get the best talents and what recruitment techniques are helpful and how effective is the hiring process. Stop hiring the wrong people, it is possible!

Evaluating Performance

Performance evaluation is vital for any organization. Having an honest conversation with each employee regarding their productivity, accomplishments and general attitude will help them grow professionally and allow the company to be more productive and efficient.  Evaluating employees is not an easy job. It is difficult to critic a colleague’s performance. The main goal of evaluating performance is to provide and receive feedback from employees about different aspects of their job and the company.  To achieve a successful performance appraisal, the organization should create a system where all the important aspects of the role are discussed.  The following tips will help you build the best evaluation process for your business.

Evaluation Method
The appraisal process should have a standard evaluation where management will be able to assess each aspect of employee’s performance. It should focus on job expectations in connection with company goals. For team leaders and management, it should measure factors like; their ability to plan, communicate, guide, lead, control and manage their department, knowledge and experience, people skills and capability to build a successful team. Feedback from other individuals like different department managers, team leaders and other employees should also be taken into consideration. As a CEO or company owner, your job is to make sure this is done in a fair, objective and periodic process. This will avoid misunderstandings and labour complains.

Appraisal Meeting
After evaluating each employee set up a time to meet with them and discuss the results. Ensure that feedback is done in a two-way communication, your employees constructive criticism is critical to the company’s progress. Be professional when giving comments about performance. Focus on the person’s key performance indicators (KPIs). Do not dwell on the employee’s failures, help them understand what needs to be improved on and why their job is important to the company. Balance the feedback. Always let them know and make them feel their worth. Tell them the value of achieving their goals and provide suggestions to better their craft. Have a guideline for the meeting and be very careful with the ways you express your feedback. Remember that a great leader can turn a weakness or failure into a growing opportunity for both the employee and the company.

Follow Up
Following up is equally important as it results to individual professional development. The process will be meaningless without constant follow up on progress.

Take Action
There will be cases where in you will need to discipline an employee. Every company should enforce a disciplinary action when employees don’t follow company’s policies or meet targets. It’s recommended to have different levels of escalation for various situations. These may include, verbal warnings, written warnings, suspension without pay and termination. Be very careful, fair and reasonable when implementing these steps.

A performance evaluation is an important management tool and very useful when making significant decisions on matters like promotions and raises. Recognizing good work will make employees feel appreciated and motivated to perform better in the future.  An employee’s professional development will have a direct impact on organizational success, so make sure to hire leaders that are capable of nurturing employees skills and competence, someone who can motivate workers to achieve the company’s mission. Value and respect your employees’ suggestions and opinions, since that’s essentially their performance evaluation of the organization. Work on the areas that need improvement and facilitate greater communication channels. The more you know your people, the better chances of having a sustainable and profitable business. As Stephan Labossiere said “If you’re not open to constructive criticism, then you’re not open to truly growing as a person”.

 

V. Sanchez | DBPC Blog

Benefits of Getting to Know Your Employees

Business is like soccer. A company is like a soccer team. A manager is like the coach. The team is composed of the employees and their positions make up the game plan. Every time you close a deal or make a sale, you win a match. Haven’t had many victories recently? Need a stronger and more efficient squad? Want to win the World Cup of business?

The answer lies within the saying, “Know those who labour among you.” Be acquainted with each employee individually – personally and professionally. Still not motivated to score the goal of familiarity? Here are some benefits of getting to know your employees:

Effective motivation
Not every incentive is stimulating in the same way to every worker. It’s a fact. Announcing an ugly Christmas sweater day might immediately get one employee planning what to wear, while a crazy hair day will be tonnes of fun for another. Everyone is different. Organizing office events and developing work incentives according to your employees’ interests/personalities will produce better responses and more excitement, leading to greater results. In return, your team will be more cooperative with company management and their increased commitment will catalyze profits and business growth.

Stronger team
When the relationship between a coach and his/her team is solely based on commands, with very little to no appreciation for each player, it’s a breeding group for resentment and loss. Put yourself in the players’ shoes and think about it. How pleasant is it to take yelled orders, without having any freedom to suggest otherwise? Not very. Now what about being able to get advice, sometimes even with a stern tone, but from an individual who you consider to be your mentor in the game and who has shown to have kind and respectable character? Sounds much better, doesn’t it? Well, it’s the same when it comes to the workplace. A boss who honestly cares about each individual in his/her office, and not just about profit and numbers, is easier to work for. Knowing the learning and communication style of each team member is crucial to a playing smooth game and achieving champion results.

Greater profitability
Even though this might be the most obvious benefit, it is far from being the least important. Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of each employee will result in more effective task delegation and better outcomes. Familiarity will also aid in creating a work environment where management’s interests naturally become those of the workers and vice versa. When a company has no need to waste time on dealing with internal strife due to misunderstandings, more energy can be directed towards generating sales and revenue. The healthier the connection is within, the stronger the team is – ready to face any challenge with confidence.

Business is like soccer. Know your team and you will know how to win.

 

Y. Kowlessar | DBPC Blog

The Modern Office

Technology has greatly made an impact in every aspect of our lives by making things easier and better. Life In the 21st century, would be close to impossible without the upgrades that we have in our modern office. Everyone is trying to adjust to the rapid changes by getting accustomed to new gadgets, equipment and software that are released every month. Due to modern technology, everything gets done quicker and easier. Work becomes less strenuous, which makes our job less time consuming. Nowadays, companies don’t even need to hire bachelor graduates to perform office functions, as long as a high school graduate knows how to operate the specific software and possess the skills to perform the job. This translates into low-cost labour. It is imperative for every individual especially the older generation, to continuously upgrade their skills. This will allow them to compete with new graduates and be more effective at work.

Computers have helped a lot in the office. Thanks to this invention, we have outdated the use of typewriters, which is very helpful for encoders in editing compositions and reformatting them with ease. It has decreased the need for filing cabinet space due to its capacity to save files in the hard drive.

Stay at home parents can continue to work and earn income while at home by taking jobs that don’t require them to go every day to the office. As long as they are connected to the internet, they will be able to perform their regular duties without any problem.

Software has helped employees finish their tasks easier and faster every day. Newer software applications are created every month to help employees with their job. Now, calculations are done easily as long as the person knows how to input formulas. Less time is spent on individual tasks, therefore employees can be more efficient and productive.

When holding meetings, not everyone have to be in the same office.  Video conferencing help companies have meetings in different locations at the same time with a simple click of a button. This saves the company from spending on travel expenses, and allows their employees to spend time on more important matters.

Email has aided faster mail delivery. Clients can get their statements immediately rather than waiting for the postman to arrive. Rarely do we go to the post office to send documents. Everything can be scanned, edited, attached and sent instantly to anywhere in the world. This has helped companies save postage, paper, ink and most importantly, time.

Networking has helped in a lot of ways. Companies can now connect to clients through email, skype, messenger, etc. This allows a greater opportunity to reach out to new client prospects and communicate with suppliers and employees.

Technology has helped us in so many ways. We should all continue to upgrade our skills by staying up-to-date with new methods and tools. No one is too old to learn something new. It only takes time, patience and a positive outlook. We are only as good as we aspire to be.

 

 

C. Burca | DBPC Blog

Enforcing Workplace Rules

Good workplace rules in the office not only keep employees safe, but also keep the business running smoothly. Enforcing workplace rules is important both for employers and employees. Employees need to know, understand and comply with company rules. It is the employer’s responsibility to make sure all regulations are followed consistently. Every employee should be aware of the repercussions for breaching the rules. It could result in disciplinary measures like warnings, suspension or termination of employment. The following factors should be considered when implementing workplace rules:

Know the Rules

Make sure all employees are aware of the company’s policies and procedures. Publish workplace rules in an employee handbook and revise it at least once a year. Distribute copies and require a signed acknowledgement form from employees indicating receipt and understanding of the regulations. Post the rules in different locations, such as the break room, and even online on the company website. Insert policy reminders in employee communications such as open enrollment kits and paychecks to inform employees of immediate changes to policies. Explain workplace regulations to every new hire during orientation.

Apply the Rules

Rules should be enforced consistently and fairly for every employee. It’s also important to establish disciplinary measures when someone doesn’t comply with the company policies.  For example, a common way to handle sanctions is to offer a verbal warning for the first offense, a written warning for the second, a pay suspension for the third, and employment termination for the fourth offense. A set of disciplinary actions may ensure company protocols are enforced consistently. It’s imperative to apply workplace rules in a fair and consistent manner. It must be equal for everyone including management, without regard to race, color, sex or religion.

Employee Involvement and Reward

Encourage employees to ask questions to clarify any concerns about company policies and procedures. By understanding how obeying the rules will benefit them, they may be more inclined to comply. For example, start a program to reward exemplary individuals. Give out awards, pay raises or promotions for individuals who maintain high standards of discipline in the business. These actions can help build positive personal reinforcement for employees to reach the company’ expected level of discipline.

All in all, maintaining discipline in the workplace is vital to create a safe and comfortable working environment for both employees and management.

 

Connie | DBPC Blog

 

References:
http://www2.gov.bc.ca/myhr/article.page?ContentID=9e9afa4b-873a-6734-2ed7-e6c79a89f6cb&PageNumber=2
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/enforce-policies-consistently-work-10970.html

Workplace Distractions

No one likes distractions at work or in their personal lives. There are many different types of workplace distractions that can occur, and several reliable solutions for dealing with them.

Minimize interruptions from technology and personal concerns
Limit your technology usage to the essentials, as anything else is basically excess noise and can easily become a distraction. Resist the urge to check your social media or look at your financial accounts. Checking e-mail constantly can also be a large waste of time, as it can distract you from completing your actual work. Instead, try to only check it periodically and focus on completing your present task. Avoid personal calls while you are at work, and in general, avoid mixing with play with work. Keep your personal life away from your workplace as much as it is possible, so that you are not constantly distracted. It can be easy to get sidetracked by online blogs, and news as well, but try to limit your time spent on these things. When doing research, do not surf endlessly to find more information or data. Instead, move on to other task.

Organize your desk, drawer and files on your computer
It is both irritating and frustrating when you can’t find your own things. Say you want to write a memo, or important document on your company letterhead, for example, and you are not able to find your letterheads, this slows down your workday and adds annoyance that can bring down your mood. To make it easier to keep track of things, separate new work into an incoming work tray and keep only those tasks which you are working on for that day. Keep your pencils, pens, calculators and other office supplies in easy to access locations, and make sure your all devices work properly in advance, so that there are no disruptions to your routine once it is underway.

Evaluate the office environment
Do not wait too long to inform your superiors, if you find it difficult to focus because of loud workplace radios, people talking too loud or coworker’s phones constantly going off. If possible, move your noisy devices to far-off corner of your office or disable sounds on said devices. The design of your office workstation also plays important role. The chair should be easily adjustable and desk should provide good ergonomics for a desktop or laptop. The surroundings also contribute to being distracted. Things like cleanliness, wall coloring, furniture and furniture can disrupt or inspire depending on how they are set up.

Breaks and workplace temperature
It is important to have right temperature in the office. An environment that is too cold or too hot can make you tired or irritated. It affects your efficiency as well as the quality of your work. Also, sitting in one place at the office can cause your body to ache. To avoid this, try to get up from your chair and try to move around a little for a minute every hour. Eye strain is also an issue during long work hours. To address this issue, try to look away from the screen and look at something in the distance to remove the strain and re-focus your eyes. In addition, try to take your lunch or break on time as it gives you much needed relief and energy in the middle of the day.

Different opinions
Everyone has their own style and talent and will have different opinion on how work should be done. Those opinions can sometimes be bothersome, but try not to lose your patience, and understand when your methods are the best for getting the job done. On the other hand, be ready to adopt if you find any better work style and try to improve and learn more. But keep in mind that you cannot make everybody happy.

Avoid excess meetings
Meetings in the office are not useful all the times. Try to lightly encourage your superiors to evaluate whether a meeting is necessary before holding one or whether it is relevant that you attend each and every one.

Manage your time and space
If you don’t schedule your time properly, additional work can quickly overwhelm you, causing you to become confused and stressed out. If you need a quiet place for your work, ask for a quiet place or talk to your coworker about giving you some quiet time to finish your task.

There are plenty of distractions at the office, but there can be just as many ways to resolve it!

 

U. Lakhia | DBPC Blog

Tips for Effective Training & Development

Talk to your employees first before beginning any training. It’s a good idea to understand what kind of guidance your employees actually need. The best way to do this is to assess their performance and see where they are struggling, then ask them if there are any additional skills they would be interested in picking up. This is important because a more generalized training course may not be helpful for an employee who is only having trouble with a specific circumstance; for example, dealing with difficult or unruly customers. It is extremely important that the training directly addresses real issues they are having on the job. Otherwise, it will not only be unhelpful to the employee and the organization, but the employee will come to see it as frivolous and resent future training sessions. These talks are best done one-on-one if possible, as it encourages the employees to be honest without fear of judgement from their peers. Here are some tips for effective training & development.

Nurture employee strengths instead of just picking on weaknesses
Training can be great for helping workers overcome their limitations, but if all you do is center on their faults, then you may be overlooking their potential when it comes to the things they actually are good at. For example, constantly focusing on addressing someone’s phone manner during sales calls may blind you to the fact that they write amazing copy or that they’re great at managing large amounts of data. That isn’t to say that existing problems should not be dealt with, but it is equally important to help guide them into roles in which they can excel to the benefit of both themselves and the company.

Maintain constant communication regarding employee development
Training is not a one-off affair; it is an ongoing process. It is never truly “complete”, as a great company will give their employees room to consistently evolve their skillsets and take on new responsibilities and opportunities. Continue to talk to your workers and maintain an understanding of where their insecurities are and where they are continuing to do well. Constant feedback from both employee and employer is the key to making sure workers stay confident, happy and engaged.

The key takeaway for any employer is that company engagement is the most important part of any successful employee training or development. The company needs to be invested in developing their workers and provide them the necessary tools and opportunities that they need to further themselves and their careers. If you keep this in mind, you should see your company advance just as far as they do.

 

Lance | DBPC Blog

Holiday Party Ideas

For most companies Christmas party is a yearly tradition. It is a merry way of showing appreciation to your employees/co-workers. This can be quite a feat since workers are looking forward to having some time off especially during the holidays. This is some sort of a break and stress reliever after a year –long time with meeting deadlines and targets at work. Consequently, initiating a fun and memorable staff party is an event your teammates will definitely look forward to. You can adopt the following holiday party ideas that’ll guarantee fun and excitement:

Make it a family affair
If you change your guest list and switch it up from just inviting staff, include their families to your company Christmas party, it creates a fun affair. Extend party invitations to spouses, children or loved ones. This will be a perfect time to overindulge, let go, and mingle with co-workers and their family members, making it an extraordinary occasion.

Activities
Think of activities that’ll engage your employees. Initiate different games to make the celebration more interesting such as, Christmas Decorating Contest or comical awards that are achievement based. This will have an enjoyable impact, which will create an entertaining presentation for everybody to enjoy.

White Elephant Gift Exchange
Are you familiar with the “white elephant” gift exchange? This is completely different from the ordinary gift exchange that most companies tend to do which is called “Secret Santa”. The idea is for everyone to bring something that could be totally useless, from their basement or attics. This can be played in numerous methods, one way is by drawing numbers to see who goes first. While the gifts are still wrapped, have your guest pick a present and then let the opening begin. The goal is to choose wacky, funny or entertaining gifts. If you’re really uncertain, just pay a visit to your local thrift store.

Theme your office Christmas party
Tired of the cringe-worthy banners and mini-trees that you used every year, why not do something a bit different this season? To have a successful and spectacular themed party, you need to tap into your creative and imaginative side. Pick a theme that you and your colleagues will agree upon. There are tons of appropriate themes that are amusing and exhilarating. You can consider the following:

  • Winter Wonderland
  • Christmas Movie Marathon Party
  • Venetian Masquerade Ball
  • Beach Party

Once you and your employees/co-workers decide on a signature party, discuss what you want before performing the necessary preparations. Plan at least 2-3 months in advance to create a fun and exciting party that’ll not only entertain your co-workers this holiday season, but something that they’ll remember.

The point of having a successful Christmas party is to merge just the right amounts of pleasure and comfort. With these ideas, you can host a party your staff will look forward to attending rather than coming up with excuses to avoid the familiar.

 

Leslie | DBPC Blog

Do’s and Don’ts of Hiring

Everyone makes mistakes from time to time, and these errors can have a large effect on a company’s procedures, revenue and goals. When these errors impact the staffing process, the repercussions can be much more dire. Hiring the wrong individual can adversely affect the organization’s work environment by sabotaging project deadlines, customer satisfaction and overall profits. To avoid encountering these problems, below are some of the do’s and don’ts of hiring.

Don’t be too specific
It’s good to create clear requirements and qualifications for the position, but don’t limit your options by being too selective. Great candidates may avoid applying because they don’t meet all of the requirements or they will be overlooked by the HR manager for the same reason. It’s important that it’s clear what the company is looking for from the beginning and that the requirements reflect what is needed rather than the absolute ideal. Keep an open mind to candidates that may not be a perfect fit but still looks able to perform the job to or above expectations.

Create a plan
Design a recruitment strategy, and set up dates for each part of the process, while ensuring that you meet deadlines. It’s imperative to set a realistic time-line because finding the right individual can take at least a month. Make sure all assessments or technical evaluations are appropriate for the particular job. If you are unsure, involve knowledgeable people in the process and ask them to attend interviews or set up processes with you.

Don’t hire just to fill the position
Sometimes managers don’t realize the amount of work and time it takes to hire a new employee and end up rushing the staffing department. Due to this pressure, hiring managers are often forced to hire the first person they think is qualified for the job. This leads to HR overlooking faults and inexperience that might otherwise have disqualified a candidate. If the hire turns out poorly, valuable time and money will have been wasted on training and important work will be delayed. Staffing managers need to be clear with their superiors regarding the time they need it to fill the position properly.

Prepare thoroughly for interviews
First, limit interviews to only the people you feel are completely qualified for the position. Research and plan your questions ahead of time, and only ask questions that are relevant with the position or the company. Try to avoid subjective questions outside of personality testing. If it’s clear that the person has the ability to do the job, it’s important to get to know the person’s attitude, work ethic and interpersonal skills. After all, this is someone everyone has to work with henceforth.

Don’t hire anyone by recommendation
There will always be someone who asks for this type of favour or will recommend someone they know for the company. Never hire people solely based on someone’s recommendation, every individual should meet all the qualifications and go through the hiring process.

Do reference checks
Always ask for two or more professional references, even if they seem perfect after meeting with them. Some people excel on interviews, they know how to showcase their skills and experience and will leave an excellent impression by selling themselves well. References will let the hiring manager know and confirm whether the candidates experience matches their sales pitch.

Hiring the right individual from the beginning, will save any company money and time. Follow these tips and you can not only make hiring more effective but less stressful as well.

 

Viviana | DBPC Blog