Your employees are the lifeblood of your business. Without them, nothing would get done. But that also means that you have to ensure that you are employing the right people to meet your company's needs. Unfortunately, recruitment isn't always the easiest of issues to sort out, and there are lots of mistakes that you could be making, even without realizing it. So read on for some help in identifying some of the most common errors in recruitment that are made, so they don't end up affecting your business.
You Try And Fill A Space Too Quickly
One of the biggest mistakes that you can make regarding recruitment is trying to fill a position in too short time. As this can lead to all sorts of decisions that are not thought through properly, and that can actually have a detrimental effect on your business in the long-term. It doesn't matter if you are a recruitment agency in Tokyo or a recruitment agency in New York, you need to give enough time to find the right employee for the job.
For example, it might be easy to give the post to the first person that applies. As then you don't have to go through all of the hassles of interviewing others or getting other people to cover the work of the person that is missing. But choosing the wrong person for this role can result in unforeseen problems further down the line.
They may not be as experienced or have as much training as you would like. So you will have to use time and money to get them up to speed. Or they may not be a good fit for your company or the department in which they work. Where they could stir up trouble in a dynamic that has worked well up until this point.
You Don't Have Long Enough Of A Notice Period
Another issue that flows into trying to fill a space quickly is the mistake of not setting a long enough notice period.
The notice period is the time between when a current employee has to give you notice that they are leaving, and the time that they actually work up until.
Obviously, the shorter the notice period, the greater pressure on you and your team to find someone to replace that person. Which can lead to poor or rushed decisions.
To combat this some companies have up to a three-month notice period. Allowing them enough time to find someone else for the position, as well as enough time for training and organizing a proper handover from the old employee to the new.
Of course, a long notice period isn't always the right choice. This is because some companies have to put leavers on garden leave to ensure they don't take their clients with them. Also keeping the levers motivation high over a three month period can be something that is very tough.
You Don't Match The Right People To The Right Roles
Another big recruitment mistake that a lot of companies make is that they don't use the right specialized agencies for their recruitment needs.
Yes, it might seem a lot easier to just deal with one contact at one agency for all the post you are searching to fill. Especially if you have a lot of them. But, as most bosses know you get the best results when you find a potential employee that is best suited to the job.
The way to do this is, of course, by using agencies that specialize in certain fields. So, if you are looking for someone to help you out with payroll then use payroll recruitment agencies. Similarly, if you want an HR executive, use an agency that specializes in finding them.
By doing this, not only can you be safe in the knowledge that they will vet the candidates effectively. But also that they will have the know-how to understand your specific needs and match suitable applicants to the role you are offering.
You Aren't Thinking Outside The Box
It is also worth realizing that a little flexibility and thinking outside of the box can be useful when dealing with the recruitment process.
Obviously, the holy grail of recruitment success is to find someone that matches the hours that you are offering, can hit the ground running, and is happy with the remuneration you're offering.
But, as they say, there is more than one way to skin a cat. So why not consider solutions like job shares and flexible hours? Which can open the position up to more people. Especially people that are keen to get back in the workforce and may just have the experience you are looking for.
Also, don't forget to consider the usefulness of recruiting and training up your own apprentices for the post you are trying to fill.
As, not only will you get motivated individual willing to learn, but you will also be able to train them in the specific ways that you like to do things as an organization. I've also heard it said that apprentices are much easier to work with because they come with a lot less preconception of what it will be like to work in a specific industry. As well as a lot less ego to have to worry about.
Recruiting apprentices, also give you a low-risk way of trialing out people to see whether they will be an economic asset to your company. As there are many government-funded schemes that can contribute to the pay and training that they will need.
You Aren't Offering Enough Motivation
Now let's be honest, very few souls in the world work; simply for the joy of it. Most of us work primarily to pay the bills. Even if our job is something that we love and value very much.
That means if you aren't offering enough money for people to do this, you are not going to be able to attract the best employees.
Really it all boils down to a fair wage for a good day's work. Whether that's about monthly wages, benefits, or additional reward packages.
Conclusion
If you pay peanuts you get monkeys, and do you really want to leave your precious baby in less than capable hands? Or do you want people that are skilled, motivated and willing to do their best for the success your business?
