Are the hiring decision makers at your company on the same page?

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Do the hiring decision makers agree?

Red Seat has helped small businesses hire thousands of employees in our 20 years in business.  We have found time and again that it is critically important that all key decision makers are in agreement on the position BEFORE starting to hire.

Decision makers need to be in agreement on multiple attributes of the role such as duties and objectives, the targeted background and education of the prospective new employee, decision-making accountability in the job, the reporting structure, salary/bonus/perks and key personality characteristics. 

We recently worked with a client on a sales position.  The company’s goal was to hire a strong sales hunter, and their long-range plan was to groom the salesperson into a Sales Manager.  As we dug into the criteria and skill set the hiring company sought in their new employee, we found there were different viewpoints among the key decision makers about whether they wanted an employee to sell or someone to manage the team.  It was key to a successful hire to engage the leaders and decision makers in defining their needs and ensuring alignment across the leadership team.  When company leaders are not on the same page regarding the qualities and qualifications they seek, it is nearly impossible to agree on a candidate. 

As important as gaining agreement among the decision makers in the hiring process, is gaining buy-in from key team members.  This is a delicate undertaking, particularly in smaller companies where employees work closely with one another.  Team members appreciate the opportunity to interview and approve a new hire, and this meeting is also a selling point to new hires:  Team members can share with the prospect what they like about working for the company, and the interviewee can ask questions about the culture and position.  

As you and your company embark on finding a new employee, make sure to gain agreement across the leadership and co-working teams to ensure a shared vision on the new hire. 

Help Wanted Ad Tip:  Promote Your Company

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Help Wanted Ad Tip:  Promote Your Company

Presenting your company as a great place to work is a key component in effective recruitment advertising.  Research shows that more than 90% of candidates seek out at least one resource to evaluate an employer’s brand before applying.

Many organizations miss the opportunity to promote their company in their job ads.  Instead they simply provide a list of duties/list of qualifications, or worse, a job description that is not easy or interesting to read.  Help wanted ads are an opportunity to spotlight what is great about working for your business and highlight key items candidates seek when they make a job move such as values that mirror their own, the company’s community involvement and opportunity for growth and development.

Take a look at your recruitment advertising and ask yourself if you have provided enough information to attract a prospective job seeker to your company.  Would you be interested in applying to the job you have posted? Would you be more interested if the advertisement included more about the company, what they stand for and why their employees love working there?  

As important as providing the readers detail about the company and environment, it is important to consider the tone of the recruitment ad.   As an extreme example, I saw in an ad recently had a tone bordering on hostile.  Actual quotes from the job ad include: “If that does not work with you, don't apply.” And “Answer the questionnaire or you will not be considered.”  My guess is that the company did not have many (if any) applicants to consider!  People want to work for an organization that treats their employees with respect and it is important that recruitment advertising sets both an accurate tone for the company and presents the company as inviting to the job seeker.

When writing your job ad, write it with the intent of encouraging candidates to apply to the position.  The applicant you seek should want to come to work for your business!  While you are busy making sure you accurately detail every duty and requirement in the ads you post, remember that those details are important as long as the ad also communicates that your company is a place where people want to work. 

Employment Branding - position your company as an Employer of Choice

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It is more important than ever in today’s competitive hiring climate to position your company as an Employer of Choice. Knowing your company’s employment brand and making a concerted effort to be a top employer are proven to result in positive outcomes with recruiting,  retention and productivity.

To be an Employer of Choice it is crucial to understand what you do well and to develop a plan for areas that you want to improve.  To start, do company leaders and employees have a similar view of your organization’s employment brand or mission, values and culture?  Are there common themes as to why your company is a great place to work?  Are there areas that you could do better?

As you define your company’s employment brand and work towards being viewed as a top employer, here are some examples of ways that companies differentiate themselves:

1.       Strong Mission.   Why are you in business? What does your company make, do or sell that helps others?  For examples of robust mission statements, look to Non-Profit organizations.  They do this really well! 

2.       A Great Story.   We have a client that has a great story of how their founder, 100+ years ago, immigrated to the US and brought with him his prize possession, a printing press that he used to start his business.  This story has proved time again a key element in recruiting candidates.  What is your story? 

3.       Your Values.  Do you have examples of your values in action?  Company values are important but key to them being the cornerstone of what makes you great is being able to point to how they are lived inside the organization and community.

4.       Employee Support.  Components of employee support include solid onboarding, manager and supervisory training, accountability, and creating an environment of safety and respect. 

5.       Compensation + Benefits + Flexibility.  Does your company offer top pay?  Are your benefits comparable to or better than your competitors?  Are you able to provide flexible hours or remote working opportunities to employees?

Once you have identified the key elements of why your company is a great place to work, your next task is to communicate the message.  On your website, you could add written or video employee testimonials.  On social media, post employee outings or community participation.  In recruitment advertising, explain what your company does well and describe WHY the job seeker wants to work for you!

And don’t forget to sell your company in interviews.  We have a client that did an excellent job communicating why they were an awesome company in interviews.  The key to the communication was including employees in the interviews who were authentic about their enthusiasm for the company and who reinforced each other in their talking points.  The result?  The company did a great job of selling themselves as a great place to work and had three candidates that really wanted the job.

How does your company stand out as an Employer of choice?  Share your thoughts with us!  Struggling to define your top selling points?   Red Seat offers a one-hour workshop on employer branding focused on recruiting and retention.  If you are interested in capitalizing on what you already do well, we think this is an hour well spent. 

The importance of “positioning” the position      

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The importance of “positioning” the position              

We work with small and medium-sized companies.  Our clients’ employees often wear multiple hats, sometimes performing more than one key function. 

While many employees like having diverse job duties, it is critical to thoughtfully define jobs in your organization.  A well-defined job makes it easier to recruit candidates with the right skills who are engaged in their work - and happier!    Here are a few examples that demonstrate the importance of positioning your positions.

Combining two incompatible jobs:  A recent online job posting sought a Controller / Administrative Assistant.  While many candidates are willing to pitch in where needed, these jobs are clearly mismatched.  First, these two distinctly different positions in one would be incredibly difficult to recruit for.  It’s unlikely that someone with a controller-level skill set will want to work in an administrative job.  Second, where would you set the salary?  A Controller won’t accept an Admin level salary, and if you pay a Controller-level salary you will be overpaying for the job’s Admin hours.   A better solution:  hire two part-timers. 

Combining seemly similar duties.  More common than combining two completely different jobs is bundling seemingly similar duties that require different skill sets.  For example, a customer service position focused on detailed order entry that also participates in outbound prospecting.  Ouch!   It is important to consider the type of person that will be happiest in a role.  The customer service role calls for a friendly and accommodating individual that is collaborative, detail oriented and service-focused.  An outbound caller requires higher assertiveness. Be sure to combine tasks that align with the type of personality best suited for the duties.    

Job level.  Deciding on the level of a position is critical to attracting candidates.  While titles may not play a big role inside an organization, titles can make or break interest in the job.     For example, a company might go to market advertising a staff-level position when in reality they seek Senior and even Manager experience.  This typically happens because of fear that an elevated job title will upset the apple cart with one or more employees.  The strategies that come into play in making a decision on “level” will include years of experience, comparison to industry trends for the job function, compensation considerations and the available candidate pool.

If you are hiring and are not finding applicants a fit for the position, or if you are in the process of putting together a new position in your company, reach out to us for a no obligation conversation about the position.  Also, keep an eye out for our upcoming blogs and videos.  More tips to come targeted at breaking down hiring and demystifying recruiting in today’s ultra-competitive job market.

 

Protect your Business with Workplace Respect

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Protect your Business with Workplace Respect

The last several months have brought an intense focus on sexual harassment and respect in the workplace.  Our clients are asking “What can we do to best protect our business and team members?”  If you and your company have not reviewed your company's harassment policy or if you have not trained your managers and your team in the past 18 months, we encourage you to review the following and contact us for more information.

A few important considerations:

·        In 2017 the EEOC received more than 84,000 charges alleging harassment and secured approximately $484 million for victims of workplace discrimination.  These numbers do not include claims brought through courts or agencies not involving the EEOC*.

·        Direct and indirect costs to employers are significant and can include: judgments to employees, legal costs associated with defending the charges, lost productivity, decreased job performance, increased turnover and reputational harm.  

·        Most employees - about 70% - do not report harassment to their employer.   Since employers are often held liable for harassment whether or not they knew about it, it's important that employees bring forth incidents so employers can take the timely action required to minimize liability and avoid employee lawsuits.  

·        In our experience, most accused harassers express genuine surprise that their behavior was perceived to be offensive.

·        Federal and state law provide a major incentive to employers who show they have taken steps to prevent harassment such as adopting a policy with specific components and training their employees.

Red Seat’s Respectful Workplace and Non-Harassment program has four components, tailored to your organization’s needs:

1.       Policy Development / Review to ensure essential elements are in place

2.       Communication Pieces to introduce your program to your organization

3.       All-Employee Training to underscore your commitment to workplace respect, define acceptable and unacceptable behaviors, and provide concrete steps employees should take if they experience or witness harassing behavior. 

4.       Management Training to train Managers on employer responsibilities and requirements and how to effectively identify and handle unacceptable or harassing behavior.

Let Red Seat help you protect your organization while cultivating a culture of respect.  Call us today to schedule a free introductory meeting to learn more about our Respectful Workplace program.

*EEOC Issues FY 2017 Performance Report, https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/11-15-17a.cfm

Attract Top Talent in a Tight Market

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Be an employer of choice - Keep your high performers - Engage, recruit, and secure
the best
The hiring landscape has changed dramatically in the last 18 - 24 months.  Join us to learn about how to stay competitive in today's ultra competitive employment market as we discuss new trends and proven techniques to attract and retain top talent.
You won't want to miss this informational seminar!  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Date &Time
Wednesday, October 11
11:30-1:30
Place
France OffiCenter
3800 American Blvd W #1500
Bloomington, MN 55431
Cost
Free for Red Seat Lunch Club Members
$35.00 for everyone else

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Contact
talley@redseat.com or (952)893-0020
to RSVP, and to learn about menu options
and payment details