In order to succeed as a business owner, it’s important to surround yourself with the right people. For your business to thrive, so must all your employees. That’s why the hiring process is such a crucial component of building your business and requires ample consideration.
After sifting through piles of resumes and cover letters, it can be tempting to choose just anyone who you think fits the experience criteria for the position; however, this may not always be the best idea. Without taking the proper time to meet with and heavily consider each qualified candidate, you could wind up with hiring regret.
Your employees are a representation of your business. That means a wrongly hired employee can be the reason behind a loss of productivity, shoddy client relations, a drug-related work accident, or poor synergy.
However, if you’re in the process of building your business by hiring new people, don’t feel intimidated. The hiring process can take time and be tedious, but by formulating a strategic hiring plan and fulfilling your recruitment requirements, can ensure you end up with the perfect employee who will serve for the long-term.
Worst-Case Scenario Envisioned
So, you decide on a hire just because it’s a hire. Finally – it’s over! Now you think you can get back to business. The new employee will take some training, but they’ll get used to the flow of things in the office soon. However, in the case of a wrong hire, you could end upright in the middle of your worst-case scenario.
A bad hire can send your business into the “red zone” for potential customers. Poor customer service or the inability to perform their job properly can result in a bad customer experience, which has a way of getting around and damaging your company’s hard-earned reputation.
In a digital age where everything has a way of surfacing online, a bad review means so much more to business owners today. Word of mouth, while still injuring to a business, is no longer the biggest threat; social media and review sites like “Yelp” spread news of bad customer service like wildfire. Every share, no matter what the medium, can be extremely damaging for a business, and therefore, it’s something you must manage diligently, as you do not want to lose customers over a bad review.
Due to the effect, each new hire can have on your business, it’s important to allocate adequate time to evaluate each candidate carefully. Ask their previous employers about their past experiences with the candidate.
Look for short-term jobs in their job history, and don’t be hesitant to call a previous employer regardless of if the job does not directly tie into your industry. Even though you’re hiring someone to join your human resources team, it doesn’t mean their behavior at a past fast-food job is immaterial; if they made someone feel uncomfortable then, they might do so at your establishment as well.
Bad customer experience is not always attributed to poor direct customer service. A poor attitude can come off worse than being rude to a customer. Also, being a bothersome coworker can create issues in the workspace, which can foster negative energy that indirectly affects customers. Your customers may pick up on this and may avoid your establishment in the future because of the uncomfortable atmosphere.
Avoiding a toxic workplace situation like this is why the hiring process is such a significant part of any business owner’s duties.
Best-Case Scenario Realized When Building a Business
On the flip side, if you’ve taken the time to weigh the strengths and weaknesses of a candidate diligently, make sure they have the relevant education and experience the position requires, and check with previous employers for references, then you’re ready to hire the candidate of your choice. If all the lights appear green, this could be the beginning of your best-case hiring scenario.
A person who meets your previously determined recruitment requirements has a higher chance of catching on quickly and gliding through training without a hitch. A dedicated employee can be the reason people flock to your business. Good customer service and a welcoming disposition are attributes customers seek out. You want to be a business that prides itself on providing enjoyable customer experiences, and the wrong hire could cost you that title.
Good reviews can be monumental when Building a Business and can draw in new customers from all over. Being a well-rated business on major sites like Google and Yelp and social media pages is like a badge of honor for establishments everywhere. Having a rating of four or more stars is something that people look for when searching for a restaurant, service, or store, and it’s often something a lot of customers aren’t willing to settle on.
Act Like You’ve Been There
While it’s important to place a strong emphasis on the hiring process, it’s also crucial to not allow yourself to get overwhelmed.
Hiring a new employee is incredibly important for both your business and its future, take the time, and you’ll be sure to make the most informed decision possible. To review, let’s take a closer look at a few of the strategic interviewing steps:
· Be patient. Don’t rush into hiring a new employee: Take your time to get to know each potential hire. It’s normal to require more than one interview, and if that’s what you need to get a solid feel for their personality and work ethic, then don’t hesitate. Most job seekers allocate ample time for multiple interviews, especially if your pool of candidates is full of senior college students—they’ll be spending several months leading up to graduation trying to get their foot in the door, so you can dedicate some quality time toward interviewing them and finding your best fit.
· Heavily consider work history, even if a previous job seems irrelevant: People who lack customer service skills usually don’t magically acquire them overnight. Therefore, if your business relies heavily on developing strong relationships with clients, and your new hire will be an active part of that process, you may want to reconsider if they lack the appropriate skill sets. Reach out to previous employers and inquire about how they treated customers and coworkers in the past. If their actions created a toxic or hostile atmosphere amongst fellow coworkers, this could seriously impact your business’s ability to function efficiently with this new hire on your team.
· Ask your employees what they think: This component is so often overlooked. You should want your employees to get along with a potential new hire, too. After all, they’ll be the ones working side by side, five days a week, nine to five. If they don’t mesh well with a potential candidate, this could have serious negative repercussions on your team’s productivity levels. Having an open dialogue with your employees and taking their thoughts into consideration is a great way to build a relationship with your current employees by showing them you truly value their thoughts, opinions, and evaluations.
Conclusion – Building a Business
Though hiring the wrong person can significantly impact your business in a negative manner, the reality is you may not get every new hire right on the first try. However, by being patient and heeding all your industry recruitment requirements, you are sure to find an employee who not only feels right but is right for your business. And with a team of diligent employees around you, it’s easier to cultivate a thriving business.
