“We want the highest quality people working here,” says the executive. “The HR team agrees, but some are wondering, “what exactly does that mean?”
It’s a valid question. The word “quality” can be used in many different ways, all of which are correct, yet not complementary to each other. The old saying, “Good, fast or cheap: pick any two” exists for a reason — it’s hard to assess the perfect fit, no matter what position is being filled.
That’s why it’s wise to step back and take a look at what quality, or quality of hire, means when it comes to the hiring process. There are steps that can offer perspective on the talent pool, from applicants to candidates to new hires, and then on into onboarding and retention. Let’s take a look:
Hiring Manager Input
If a team leader or other executive is creating or needs to fill a position, he or she needs to be willing to come to the table with specific asks. Working in tandem with the hiring professionals, they will want to do much more than just present salary and perks. They should be providing a detailed list of tasks, specific skill sets, and traits to watch out for in applicants. Also, if a particular management team member has a lot of churn underneath them, be proactive and dig into why people are leaving (exit interviews can be helpful in this regard).
Employee Value Proposition
Building on the input desired above, your company should also have a strong Employee Value Proposition or EVP. This is the forward-facing statement of who you are, and it’s what candidates see when they begin interacting with you. Yes, it can have some brand messaging, but it should target candidates you want to hire, not who you want to have as a client. Website, social media, and any other content in the job-market sphere should always be crafted with this in mind.
Orientation & Onboarding
Here’s the obvious part: If you hire someone and throw them behind a desk with no orientation, they are off to a horrible start. While this is true of any new hire, it’s especially relevant to younger ones who may be in their first post-college job or entering a new field. A well thought out orientation period, including some time with other new hires, is invaluable in this regard. And be sure there’s manager buy-in, so the new hires don’t find themselves with team meetings and other calendar items overwriting orientation sessions.
Employee Engagement
This one’s simple, too, and should be baked into your business at every level. A yearly “How are we doing?” survey sent out through a blast email, with vague questions and buttons to press to rate satisfaction or lack thereof, won’t cut it. Have meetings, monthly if possible, and quarterly if not, to let employees know what’s going on all across the company. Recognize milestones met, but also be willing to answer tough questions about performance, pay, and other issues that matter to the workforce.
Pipeline Creation & Planning
There’s a lot more to building a healthy workforce than managing talent acquisition and turnover. Creating an internal structure for routinely and continually assessing current and future needs for all departments should be routine, not a wish-list proposition. It’s a huge task, and utilizing an outside consultant who knows your team and your industry can be a game-changer.
Recruitment and retention are complicated and becoming more so all the time. Partnering with a requirement process outsourcing, or RPO, provider can help you level-set where you are now, and where you want to go, when it comes to attracting, hiring and keeping the best talent for your company.
At endevis, we don’t take a “one and done” approach, but rather work with our clients to create solutions that work now and continue to grow and evolve alongside the business. Get started now with our hiring manager satisfaction assessment and discover what your teams think about quality-of-hire.