Article provided by Javier Loya, CEO of OTC Global Holdings.
Summary: Hiring a new employee can be a source of pride for your business, but you need to make sure that employee is equipped to do his job on day one.
A new employee can be a great source of pride for a young business owner. New employees represent expansion. It’s a sign that business is looking up, and you can afford to bring on a little extra help. The right candidate can bring a lot of value to your organization, but the wrong candidate can cost you valuable time and man hours. Here are some rules to help guide you along the process of dealing with new hires.
Screening
You should screen every candidate you intend to hire well before they ever step into your building. Not every employer has time or resources to do extensive background checks, but a simple Web search will do. You can follow up on anything publicly available. Do make a list of things that interest you, and things you think are questionable. Allow the candidate time to explain him or herself as well. If you know you want the employee, don’t let a silly post made in college kill the deal. Chances are that they have changed since, and may be working hard to clean up their image. Hear them out and make judgments from there.
Hiring
If you’re hiring an hourly employee, make sure that they understand that you will expect them to use time clocks to record their punches, and give them an idea of what their schedule should be. If you need them to bring samples of their work into the interview, prepare them for that ahead of time. Interview several candidates, so you can be sure you’ve found the match you want. It also helps to be realistic about your expectations for the employee, so that he knows what his day-to-day responsibilities are and how to do his job.
Orientation
Show the employees all of your facilities, including the parts they won’t use on a daily basis. Get them acquainted with the heads of related departments so that they can go to the right people when they need help. Do supply an employee handbook and show employees where the time and attendance systems are located so they know how to clock in and out when they leave.
Final Thoughts
New hires can bring value to your company, but they need to be able to hit the ground running. It’s HRs responsibility to make sure that these new candidates have all the tools and knowledge they need to get to work on day one. Help employees with concerns about the employee manual, show them how to use the time machine, and help them get acquainted with the layout of their new job.
Javier Loya is the Co-CEO of OTC Global Holdings (OTCGH), an independent interdealer brokerage. He is also the founder and owner of Choice Energy Management.