Hiring The Right Way

Despite some headlines, a number of businesses are poised to hire. With unemployment as high as it is, there are many good people looking for work. The question is “What is the best process for hiring and what are the documents needed to complete the process?”

The employer expects the employee to be orderly, disciplined and professional. That is exactly what the employer needs to convey to candidates and, once hired, to all employees. While we are all human, the organization needs to display itself in the best way possible. The documents required are the following:

• Personnel Requisition Request—the document with which the hiring offer obtains formal approval (from the President or hiring authority) to begin the process of recruiting, selecting and then hiring the new person.

• Employment Application—the document the candidates use to provide the information needed for the employer to screen candidates. It is very important that employers require them to fill out applications, rather than just work from resumes. Resumes come in every conceivable format. The employer needs to be sure the information is available and in the format the employer is comfortable with using.

• Nondisclosure/Confidentiality Document—the document the employer uses to obtain the new hire’s formal consent to hold the employer’s information confidential. This becomes very valuable down the road if concerns are raised.

• Sexual Harassment Prevention Statement—the document the employer uses to obtain the new hire’s formal agreement that he/ she will not engage in conduct that is sexually harassing. The employee acknowledges that he/she has read the policy, understands it and agrees to abide by it.

• Hire Letter—the formal letter acknowledging that the employer is hiring the candidate. It should contain the employee’s title, his/her starting wage, whom he/she reports to, the starting date, when the benefit package kicks in, what is contained in the benefit package, what the employee’s classification is (exempt or non-exempt), a statement that employment is “at will” and a welcome statement.

When the employee reports to work his/her first day should be fully planned so it is clear to the new hire that the employer is ready for him/her. The “on boarding” process should be smooth, the orientation planned and implemented smoothly.

Remember, the new hire will spend the first 30 to 60 days determining what the employer organization’s values are and determining if he /she can identify with those values. If the answer is yes, the new hire will spend the next 30 to 60 days figuring out who is honest and trustworthy and who is not. The next 30 to 60 days will be spent establishing coalitions and relationships with those deemed trustworthy and figuring out how to avoid the others. All of this is a bit of a distraction for the new employee, but it is what is happening.

The employer should be meeting with the new hire to learn about the variances between what the new hire was told to expect (during the hiring process) about the company and what the new hire actually found once hired. This is extremely valuable information.

The Gallagher Organization has published information that says that only 25 percent of the workforce in the typical organization is engaged (working in concert with management) 15 percent is disengaged (working against management) and 60 percent are apathetic. Whom do you think is “pulling” on the new hires? It is usually the disengaged working to spoil or corrupt the new hires into becoming part of the disengaged.

Don’t let that happen.

Featured Image Credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jde2399/413132671/

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