Attracting, Hiring, Training, and Retaining the Best Possible Employees. part 2

Attracting, Hiring, Training, and Retaining the Best Possible Employees for Small Businesses
Part 2

Written by Vincent E. Martinelli, Jr.

INTRODUCTION

This article discusses various techniques that managers and business owners can use to improve employee performance and reduce turnover. One of the techniques mentioned is explaining to employees the challenges that other departments face before and after their position, which can help them have a better understanding of the bigger picture and be more tolerant. Promoting from within and assigning tasks that match employees' strengths are other techniques that can improve job satisfaction and loyalty. Asking employees for referrals, understanding their personalities, and giving them temporary authority can also contribute to a positive work environment. Lastly, it is emphasized that employees should not be made to feel like failures and that mistakes should be seen as opportunities to learn and improve.

CURRENT EMPLOYEES

I think the best place to start on this topic is with the current employees. One of the ways that I found to help employees do the best they possibly can in terms of on-the-job performance is to explain what happens before and after their particular position. For instance, if they know the challenges of the previous department, they are more likely to be tolerant and in a better headspace about what they have to deal with period an example of that would be if they are given sales leads, and those sales leads aren't as high quality as they might expect from the previous department, but they understand that the previous department has had a number of unavoidable challenges and has worked through them diligently and everyone in the previous department has done the best they possibly could, then the salesperson is more likely two, frankly, stop the whining.

When these same salespeople, for instance, do the best that they can, and they understand the challenges of the next department, which might be customer service, or fulfillment, they're more likely to set the customer up to expect a more realistic experience, and they may also do the little things like, for instance, letting the customer know what information or documents or expectations that the next department will have on them. If everybody is kept in the loop about what to expect, then it generally goes more smoothly.

Since, overall, this provokes a less stressful environment anymore more tolerable environment, then employees are more likely to stay in their job. They will have more job satisfaction knowing that they contributed to resolving a problem that is beyond their direct control, and that solution is ultimately good for the company, good for the customer, and good for the employees. Also, by being part of the solution, they not only feel more connected to the company and the process, but they also feel like they are contributing more, and they feel more appreciated.

In the above example, it might not be sales or service or fulfillment, it might be the quality of a part that they're manufacturing. One of the most complicated businesses in the world is the restaurant business. If the wait staff understands the challenges of the kitchen, they are more likely to be in a better place to let the customers know what to expect, and to guide them away from something that might not be in stock. That same wait person will also deliver a better experience to the customer as the customer will not be as disappointed if they ordered something that unfortunately isn't available despite being on the menu that particular day.

PROMOTING FROM WITHIN

Another technique that seems to have had a profound effect on my experiences is letting each employee know that the company promotes from within. Related to that, paying attention to what each employee is good at, and assigning them specific tasks that are either well suited for them, or that are learnable by them, also promotes a great working environment. On a number of levels, this will improve employee satisfaction, employee performance, and a better work environment in general.

This effect is multiplied when the employee knows that the company promotes from within. If they feel like they are in the right position and that they are appreciated, and that there's a good opportunity that they might be promoted, for instance, then they are less likely to look elsewhere for employment.

Also, promoting from within takes a huge burden off of the hiring manager or human resources department. The more time they spend looking for, interviewing, and hiring employees, the less time they can spend on the other areas of their jobs. Some of those other areas may include issues that might come up with payroll or compliance or complaints. If they can perform those functions immediately, the employees that are dealing with those issues will be much more satisfied, and they will feel appreciated. Again, that adds to their likelihood that they will be more loyal to the company.

EMPLOYEE REFERRALS

Another technique that seems to work well for a lot of companies is asking the employees themselves for referrals. If the company is hiring, and the management lets that be known to the employees, then at least subliminally, the employees will get a feeling that the company is expanding. When the company expands, that means they're in a good financial state, so the employees feel secure in their employment. Also, if the employee knows through the management that the company is hiring, they feel more secure in their position knowing that the company isn't going to replace them behind their backs.

There's also a better likelihood that the company will attract better employees, because each one of the applicants will be a referral of an existing employee. Their potential new employee will understand that the company must be a great one to work for if somebody that they know and respect is suggesting that they fill out an application. If they are potential employee becomes a new hire, that employee will likely feel more loyal to the person who brought them into the company, and their work performance will inherently be better because they get to work with people that they know and like and respect, and they sort of owe it to that person to do a good job because that person went out of their way to put in a good word for them.

Also, when an employee is in the loop on hiring, the employee will feel more comfortable with asking questions about the new positions that might be available. The company or the employee might discover that the new position that's opening up may be a perfect fit for somebody who is already an employee. Or, that employee will feel like they are part of the bigger team because they were kept in the loop about managerial decisions and hiring decisions. They will have a better understanding of in what direction the company is going, and they will feel far more like part of The team, and less replaceable, resulting in lower attrition.

KNOW THE PERSONALITIES

One of the other techniques that worked well for me, personally, is understanding the personality of each of the employees. Some of the employees need to be told something once and not to be told again, because their personality is to do the best possible job and they don't need to be handheld. Other employees are quite the opposite, and they need instructions and or encouragement every step of the way. Also, some employees prefer to work alone and do better work that way, while other employees perform better when they feel like they're part of a team. Either way, it's important not to leave anybody out or to make them feel like they've been left out. Communication is always key.

PUT EMPLOYEES IN CHARGE

One of the techniques I've used in the past, especially when employees would question me on details of processes for purposes, is I would ask them what they would do in the same situation. This technique is a great way to validate the employee. Every once in a while, the employee will come up with a great idea that the management didn't think of, and sometimes the suggestions are under par with the direction of the company. However, even the so-called bad ideas can help the company by explaining why their suggestion is beyond the scope of what the company can do or why a different suggestion works in a better pairing than their suggestion. In this way, the employee still feels like they contributed, and they learn a lot about the company. In the future, they will likely come up with more thought-out suggestions, and they probably won't present those suggestions until they have mentally vetted them themselves.

Another technique that has worked well for me in the past is to give somebody temporary authority. Find something that each employee is good at, and occasionally, put them in charge of a certain aspect of the processes that need to be completed. This is another way of allowing the employees to feel included without feeling the pressure and without learning all of the nuances. This becomes extremely important in situations where there might be low attendance based on weather or flu season etcetera. The management and the company need to be prepared for mistakes to happen and for expenses to occur. I found that those are small investments compared to reducing turnover or having employees who feel as though they are just a number in the cog.

This technique also further reinforces the fact that the company is looking to hire from within, and that it continues to give each employee an opportunity to learn. Doing this occasionally also improves the employee's ability to make leadership decisions.

OPEN CULTURE

One additional way to add value to the article is to highlight the importance of creating a culture of open communication and feedback between managers and employees. This involves not only giving feedback to employees but also actively seeking their input and feedback on how to improve processes and operations. By creating a two-way dialogue, managers can gain valuable insights from employees and involve them in the decision-making process, leading to a greater sense of ownership and engagement in the company's success. Additionally, providing opportunities for professional development and training can also enhance employee satisfaction and retention. By investing in their employees' growth and development, businesses can create a more skilled and committed workforce that is better equipped to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing business landscape.

OPEN-EYED

Of course, no technique is perfect, and all circumstances are different. There's no perfect solution and there's no end-all answer. These are just some of the suggestions that I have based on my personal experience in many different situations.

One of the most important things that we can do is management and owners of companies is that when an employee does something that was not as desirable as it could have been, we need to explain why it was not desirable and what a better solution might be. Under no circumstances should an employee feel like a failure. Employees should feel as though making a mistake will not actually threaten their employment. Of course, there are limits and if employees are genuinely doing the best that they can, then, in the long run, these employees will also be very loyal and less likely to be poached by another company.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, there are various techniques that managers and business owners can use to improve employee performance, job satisfaction, and loyalty. By explaining the challenges that other departments face, promoting from within, assigning tasks that match employees' strengths, asking for referrals, understanding their personalities, and giving them temporary authority, employees can feel more connected to the company and its processes, and ultimately deliver better results. It is also crucial for managers to provide feedback and guidance without making employees feel like failures. These techniques, though not perfect or exhaustive, can contribute to a positive work environment and reduce turnover, benefiting both employees and the company as a whole.

DISCLOSURE

Some of my experiences include being a founding partner of a signed design company, a silent partner in a painting and renovating company, the owner operator of a landscaping and pool cleaning company, and an owner of a restaurant. However, most of my business skills came from being a paperboy, with a five mile paper route and over 100 customers. In my humble opinion, although I'm not all that humble, disallowing young newspaper carriers was a huge existential mistake on the part of our society.

In addition to the above business experience, I have also been in charge of many nonprofit organizations. I also acted as a liaison between and betwixt dozens of companies, and government agencies. I have served on the board of directors of many nonprofit organizations, and in some cases, I have completely redesigned business processes, ends, in one case, I took a company that had already filed for bankruptcy into a state of prosperity such that we needed to double our staff, in only 3 1/2 months time. I was also hired by a company to get the company into a position where it was going to be sold For a predetermined targeted price, and by the time I got done making the changes, in less than two months time, the company was sold for 180% of the predetermined list price.

I'd like to think that much of my success was due to out-of-the-box thinking, and one thing I know for sure is that finding the way to “yes” is much more powerful that accepting “no”.