One bad apple will spoil the whole bunch

Last week I was asked about the signs of a toxic employee and it made me think about all the clients and managers that have come to me over the years with concerns about members of staff.

I think that generally when I started getting the history, there were always concerns at the outset but they overlooked them and didn’t address them during the probation period.

When I started my first proper HR job, I was in charge of graduate recruitment and we had selection days with graduates, where they would go through a series of tests and interviews, at the end of the day we would decide who to offer a position to. It was a group decision, we made sure that at least 6 people interacted with each candidate to get a balanced decision.

I had concerns about a candidate, they were super smart, really articulate but I could see that they were not a team player and that their directness would rub colleagues and clients up the wrong way.

Don’t get me wrong being challenging isn’t a bad thing, it just needs to be tempered with the ability to negotiate and be accepting of another person's point of view.

I shared my concerns but my boss disagreed with me and so the person was offered a position. Less than 2 months later my boss and I were in a room telling this individual that their contract was going to be terminated and having a really difficult conversation as their inability to self reflect made the feedback difficult to hear.

I want to help you avoid making poor hiring or promotion choices, so here are the points to look out for:

An inability to self reflect.

Ask questions on what went wrong and what they have learnt. Are they blaming others?

A preference to work alone (unless the role requires it).

No man/woman is an island. You want to hear about collaboration, influence and negotiation

A lack of Emotional intelligence.

Do they pick up nuances in tone and body language?

Are they problem multipliers, rather than problem solvers?

Do they come to you with issues that they should be solving themselves? Do they always respond with negativity to change or challenge?

Are they self serving?

Do they help others? Are they willing to share their time and knowledge?

Let us know which tip’s you’ll be implementing with your team in the comments and grab our FREE guide to Hiring to make sure you hire the right person

I nearly gave it all up!

I don’t need to tell you that running a business is hard, I know you get it!

The long days, trying to do all the things, nights with no sleep, worry that you won’t make the money you need... and the rest!

When I sacked my corporate job to work on my business full time, I had more than enough work to keep me busy but when those projects came to an end, I had a heart-stopping few weeks while I looked for my next clients.

And it kept happening again and again. I’d get so caught up with the work on my business that I forgot about working on my pipeline, I’d skip the networking events and neglect my social media.

I’m a certified introvert.

I love working with my clients but working on building my business wasn’t my strong point.

I found the whole sales and marketing process stressful and if I’m honest, I procrastinated.

So when a corporate client offered me a job (for the third time!) I engaged in the negotiation, I thought about how nice it would be to just have one job!

To focus on delivering the best to clients and having a team to deal with all the rest and provide cover when I took a break!

It was looking very appealing.

But I remembered what I’d be leaving behind.

My freedom, taking my girls to school, meeting hubby for lunch and taking on the projects that appeal to me, to name a few...

I decided it was time to build a team to take on the things I wasn’t so good at and so I hired a virtual assistant to tackle my marketing and systematise my sales process.

It changed my life.

My VA’s email folder is called ‘Lifesaver’.

Without feeling the need to constantly work on the sales and marketing elements of my business, I was able to focus on the stuff I liked, this has lead to me writing a book, being featured in publications and podcasts and still delivering bespoke HR solutions.

Are you ready to build a team that frees you up to take you business to the next level?

Grab our FREE guide to hiring your first or next team member.

Do you want an overhead or an investment

One of the biggest myths that hold businesses back is seeing staff as a cost rather than an investment.

While we must wait until we have the income needed to cover staff costs, hiring the cheapest is very rarely the answer.

Like Julie, an amazing creative who built her business by working with interns and trainees; she came to me because she felt like she was constantly retraining her team.

The interns were great for projects and the trainees would stay for a year and then leave to take a ‘proper job’ that paid them a ‘proper salary’.

This meant that the business that Juile had run for over 10 years was beginning to feel like a burden.

She couldn’t go away on holiday without shutting her shop. She had to keep a watchful eye at all times.

It started affecting her turnover too, so wasn’t creating new items. Her loyal regulars were coming in and recommending friends but that was it, hardly any walk-ins.

Julie didn’t have time to be creative, she was focused on keeping things ticking over and making sure the quality of the finished items was high.

Using our unique systems and processes, we identified the roles and structure that Julie needed to build her business and make it less reliant on her constant presence.

We hired an Operations Manager to oversee the store, interns and trainees. Julie was able to focus on her love of designing and training the trainees. 

Once she was free from the red tape, Julie felt her creative juices start to flow again and she was able to find the time to design new innovative items.

A part-time Marketing Executive was also hired to oversee a website refresh, create and implement the social media strategy.

Even though the pandemic, the online store kept Julie and her team busy – creating items, making repairs and even creating some bespoke designs.

Getting a qualified manager made all the difference to Julies peace of mind and bottom line.

If you hire RIGHT your team should pay for themselves (and then some) through increased sales and efficiencies.

When I look at my balance sheet I think that staff costs should be under the direct product/service cost as it makes it easier the see the correlation between a growing business and an amazing team, with the right skills.

If you are ready to make your first hire or your next hire, my calendar is open for the next two weeks, click this link to book a FREE 20 Team Strategy Call, where you’ll come away with some actionable advice and tips.

What's on your bucket list?

Last week I turned 45 and inspired by a fellow entrepreneur, I wrote a list of 50 things that I want to do before I turn 50!

Do you have a bucket list?

On it are things like climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and perfecting my French but top of my list was running the Iconic London Marathon and yesterday I found out that I got a spot for this year!

Which is Fab!

But SCARY

26.2 miles IN.ONE.GO!

I’m still slightly in disbelief

But i’m fully aware of the work that is ahead of me - the runs, strength work, yoga and nutrition. Because I’ve already been preparing; I ran a half marathon on January 1st and have two more booked in the Spring.

This reminds me of the work that I do with my clients to start or build their team. 

We form the strategy, the structure, the job descriptions, adverts, interview questions and tests - then we finally select the perfect team member and after the excitement of securing the candidate…

My client gets nervous, they start thinking of all the things that they need to get set up to give the person the very best chance of success - how to get them to hit the ground running.

But then they remember that we planned for this, that they’ve already started and they have a plan. That by using our proven methodologies they are sorted.

Like my client Catherine who is a super busy creative, needing more time to be creative and less doing the administrative stuff. So we used our hiring framework to find her the best Operations Assistant and we had a strategy session to help her to step into her true CEO role, so that she could set her new team member up for success. Now she’s been able to focus on creating new lines and building her brand.

If you are planning to build or grow your team, schedule a FREE 20 minute call to discuss how we can help you, using our the Team Strategy Call

Recruit in haste, repent at leisure

Sue was in a major rush to find a replacement for her finance manager who was about to start maternity leave.

It wasn’t that she hadn’t had 5 months to prepare, it was just that time went by so fast with the business expansion that suddenly she went from not wanting to hire too early, to needing a replacement to start in four weeks.

Sue interviewed several candidates, she had a clear favourite but they could only start in 8 weeks, so she went with her second choice.

Two weeks into handover period, she discovered that her chosen candidate didn’t have as much experience as they’d said and they couldn’t use the accounts software. Sue tried to get her previous first choice back for the role but they’d already secured something else.

We work with clients who are terrified that they’ll recruit the wrong person, especially if it’s one of their first hirers or they are building a new team.

It’s not rocket science but it does take preparation, so that you can be confident in the decision that you make.

Three tips to help you recruit the right candidate:

1. Be super specific about the key skills, experience and behaviours that you need - Then make sure your interview questions and assessments are aligned to them.

2. Do more than interview, test for the skills that you need - whether it’s a presentation, case study or trial day.

3. If you are in doubt, don’t hire

Want more hiring and team management tips, get access to our FREE HR Knowledge Hub

Does diversity in the workplace matter?

Do you keep track of the diversity within your organisation?

When I first started working in HR for organisations that worked with local and central government we were often asked about the demographic of our workforce and if it matched theirs. We would say ‘We don’t capture that information, we just hire the brightest and best wherever they come from”.

And in a way it was true, but we recruited from a small pool. Most of the graduate hires and experienced consultants all had a similar background; red brick university degree in classics, History or Maths. We never actively built relationships with any London Universities, so the only way we would hire anyone from a different background would be if they actively searched for the openings, which was rare as it was a small boutique consultancy.

The lack of diversity in the business meant that there was a lack of knowledge of what our client's customers experienced. It’s hard to understand the challenges that citizens have communicating with their local council if you only contact yours to pay your council tax, get a parking permit or get your bulk waste collected.

Diversity is the key to innovation and business growth, if everyone in your organisation has been taught to think in the same way there will be no challenge.

It’s time to think differently about the way you recruit, here are my three top tips:

Invest in unconscious bias training for your team

We all have biases, it is important to build awareness of what they are and then address them.

Review your job advertising

Its time to review the imagery and words that you use to advertise your roles, showing images of a diverse workforce and using words that speak to your ideal candidate's skills and experience rather than educational background (unless it's absolutely necessary).

Diversify your recruitment panel

It’s important to have a panel that is diverse and can understand the nuances that come from a variety of backgrounds.

If you need any assistance reviewing your recruitment process so that you can diversify your workforce, schedule a call here

Why HR?

Is your business your first, second, third (or more) career?

I’ve worked with childcare providers who were social workers, website designers who were teachers and holistic therapists who were accountants.

I’m a firm believer that finding the thing that you love to do, as opposed to what you can do to make money is a journey littered with lessons to get you to your ultimate destination (at least for most of us).

When I share my background, people are often surprised that my first degree was in Computer Science. Growing up I loved chess and electronics. Studying IT was an easy choice for college and university. But at university I realised that my passion was finding a solution for my clients, looking outside for the box and being creative with the solutions.

I was heartbroken when I was told that I’d need to work as a programmer for 10+years before I’d be able to be in front of clients creating solutions and overseeing them being delivered. 

So at graduation, I took an office manager role that required some skill with creating databases and it was there that I was introduced to HR. And once I started studying I never looked back.

HR ticked all my boxes:

1. There were challenges that I needed to find solutions for.

2. I had to engage with people to find and execute the solution

3. Sometimes systems and processes were part of the solution.

It was perfect for me.

What makes your business perfect for you?

When we are hiring for our team, we can sometimes get stuck looking for a person who has all the right employment history instead of looking for the transferable skills needed, for example, an ex-teacher will be able to break down complexities and make them easily understood, a stay at home mum will be a master negotiator.

Don’t overlook a candidate because they don’t have the history you are looking for. Look for the skills, you can teach the rest.

How will you change your adverts and selection process going forward to make sure you don’t miss your ideal candidate?

Need some help with your selection process? Schedule a call to see how we can help you hire the best candidate for your business.

Giving staff the best start

Throughout the recruitment process, we focus on creating an amazing candidate experience. It’s a two-way selling process; we want the best person for our organisation and they want, well they want what they want!

So once you’ve negotiated these waters, made an offer and had it accepted ... WAIT! Before you tick the task off your to-do list, ask yourself “What’s Next?

Often there is a gap of a month or more between getting that offer accepted and an individual starting with your organisation, so how do you keep them feeling warm and fuzzy, as well as helping them to settle in once they do start?

Here are a few pointers:

Give them a Buddy

One of the best experiences of on-boarding that I had was being given a ‘Work Buddy’ before I’d started. I received weekly emails in the lead up to my joining date, I was invited to payday Friday drinks before I was actually on payroll! Had someone to ask silly questions like where is the nearest sandwich place and is there a good place to get a lunchtime pedicure or how does my new boss like to be communicated with.

Day 1 Brilliance

Make sure their first day runs smoothly. I worked for one organisation, where on my first day the receptionist was waiting for me, my desk had my laptop, phone, notepad and other items and when I checked my emails, I have my induction meetings scheduled for the next few weeks (it included a trip to an international office). Everything was so smooth, I was able to hit the ground running and had access to all that I needed.

Induction and Training

Once you have selected your perfect candidate and they have accepted your offer. It’s time to prepare for their induction and training. This is vital to ensure they have an awesome employee experience.

There is nothing more frustrating than starting a role and having to find your way around an unfamiliar landscape unassisted. I remember starting a senior role with an organisation, and I didn’t receive my laptop until three days in. I had deliverables, but no way to deliver them! It was very frustrating and I felt like they were unprepared for me. Don’t worry I soon changed the starter process!

Have a detailed plan to introduce a new employee to key stakeholders, systems and processes, it will cut down on the time it takes to get a person up to speed and allows you to see how long it should take for them to be fully utilised.

Ensure that you have all the equipment that they will need and you have cleared your diary to spend some 1-2-1 time with them.

Establish their objectives (that you drew up earlier) and confirm how you will be reviewing them during their probation period. 

Schedule regular 1-2-1’s and check in’s to check they are ok and don’t forget to get feedback from your clients and stakeholders, where applicable.

Warmest Welcome

Arranging a welcome lunch on the first day/week is always good. Getting to know someone socially is always good and it helps to build team rapport. I worked at one organisation where every month they had a welcome afternoon tea, where you had to speak with at least three people you hadn’t spoken with before, it was a really good way to get to know people in different departments.

Implementing an onboarding process is a great way to engage with staff before they even start and show them how valued they are as an addition to your team.

Contact us to ensure your onboarding process is as fabulous as your business is.

Making the right offer, the right way

Once you've selected the ideal candidate for your amazing business, you’ll need to make sure that the legal stuff is squared away.

You'll want to give the successful candidate a call and make them a verbal offer, which you’ll then confirm in writing. During the call tell them why you think they’ll be a good match for your team. Your new team member will want to know the details of their employment; salary, hours, potential start date.

Once you’ve made a verbal offer to your candidate, you’ll want to send them some official documentation, so that they can make an educated decision to join you on your business journey. You’ll need to send an:

Offer letter

State the terms of the offer:

• Role

• Salary (Annual or hourly)

• Hours

• Benefits

• Potential start date

• Any prerequisites, e.g. eligibility to work, references, DBS etc

• Date offer expires

Contract of Employment

From the 6th April 2020, you have to provide your employee with their Terms and Conditions / Contract of Employment before their start date. PLEASE make sure that your document is legally sound, don’t just find a template on google, they can be missing vital elements that will protect you as an employer, less isn’t always more!

Your contract should include:

Role Name -

Be clear on what you want to call the role, look in the marketplace and see if it fits with your competitors

Reports to -

The role name should be stated, rather than the person.

Remuneration -

Detail the Gross Salary (or hourly rate, if paid by timesheet), also detail any commission or bonus detail.

Pay Date -

Everybody wants to know when they’ll be paid and what period it will cover (weekly/fortnightly/monthly).

Probation period -

How long the probation lasts and the notice period during that time.

Notice Period -

Once the probation period has completed, how long would the successful candidate need to give notice to end their contract. REMEMBER that the notice period would be the same for both employer and employee, so be reasonable.

Pension contributions -

Government legislation requires all employers to have a pension scheme in place. Ensure you have one arranged and decide if you are contributing the minimum percentage or providing an enhanced scheme.

Benefits -

Decide if you are going to offer any benefits at this stage, e.g. childcare vouchers, private healthcare, season ticket loans, retail discounts, etc.

Leave -

Details of paid leave and statutory leave

Employee Handbook / Policies and Processes -

To ensure that you start your professional relationship on the right foot, you should share your policies and processes, things to ensure you cover:

• Working hours

• Flexible working

• Expense Policy

• Sickness Absence Policy

• Grievance Policy

• Disciplinary Policy

• Whistleblowing Policy

• Equal Opportunities Policy

• Health and Safety Policy and Procedures

• IT Security and Data Protection Policy

*This isn’t an exhaustive list, your policies are dependent on the needs of your business.

You should also have a new joiner form to capture all the essential details for your new employee, e.g. Bank Details, Next of Kin,

Getting your offer process right is an important part of your candidate experience you want to make sure that they are fully aware of all of the benefits and stipulations that are linked to their new role.

Interview, Assessments and Scoring

Ever been really excited about a job, only to interview and decide that you wouldn’t work there if they doubled the salary? I definitely have, the culture detailed on the advert and the reality was so different (and not in a good way!)

The interview process should be two-way. It's just like the relationship that you build with your clients, each party wants to see if there is the possibility of building a reciprocal relationship. Both you and the candidate need to be getting what they need otherwise it won't be successful.

I want to take you through some do’s and don'ts as you meet your candidates face to face and start building that relationship.

First things first ...

There are a few things that you need to decide before your candidate’s rock up for their interview:

1.       What do you want to assess?

What are the key skills, knowledge and experience you want to cover in an interview? An interview lasts for an hour on average, you should aim to ask 6-8 questions, plus follow up.

2.       How do you want to assess?

Dependent on the role you may want to do more than just interview; do want them to complete a case study, presentation, psychometric, numeracy, logic or literacy test or a trial day?

3.       Who do you want to assess them?

You should never interview alone, you need to include some members of your team (or potentially clients) in the panel. Who will you put on your interview and assessment panel? You ought to make sure that at least two people other than you who meet the candidate

Now to your interview questions:

Once you have decided what the critical skills, knowledge and evidence you want to ask about, it’s time to formulate your questions. As you draw up your questions, remember the following:

·       Ask open questions

·       Ask for examples

·       Don’t ask for multiple responses at once

To ensure that every candidate interviewed goes through the same process, I would suggest having an interview matrix. A document that details the questions, model answer, score and weighting; this allows you to focus on gaining the evidence you need to make a balanced decision. If you need some examples of the types of questions that you need to ask then sign up for our knowledge hub here 

Here are THREE things that you should NEVER as an interviewer:

i. Don’t make it all about the candidate’s skills

Remember that interviews are a two-way sales process, don’t just throw out “Why do you want to work for us?” and “Why are you the best person for this role?” questions. Tell the candidate about your company, why it’s a great place to work, who’ll they’ll be working with and most importantly how you see the role developing.

ii. Don’t be a scary interviewer

Interviews are stressful enough without adding to the situation. We’ve all been in that sweaty palm, heart racing situation (sometimes as an interviewer!). To get the best out of a candidate, you want them to be at ease. Make them feel comfortable and indulge in a little small talk to develop a rapport. You’ll get more genuine responses and better insight into what they’d be like to work with.

iii. Give feedback

Even if a candidate isn’t right for you right now, they may be later on, or be able to recommend someone to you. They’ll only do that if they’ve had a great candidate experience and a big frustration for job hunters is a lack of feedback; after all, how can they improve if no one tells them what needs improving! 

Spend 5-10 minutes on the phone or writing an email with specific feedback, give 2/3 positives and 2/3 areas for development.

If you are ready to up-level your leadership and management skills the doors are open for our Business Owner to CEO Management Intensive Programme, a 6 week 1-2-1 programme designed to give you the skills, knowledge and confidence to manage your team in a legislatively compliant way while being your authentic self - to find out more and sign up click here.

Shortlisting and Telephone Interviews

Last month we looked at how you attract the very best candidates to apply for your roles. This month we’ll be covering Shortlisting, Interviews and Onboarding.

This week it’s all about what to do with all the applications that you have received.

The first thing to say is that you should reply to each application, even if it’s just a standard email that you send to all unsuccessful applicants. Just because they aren’t a fit for you now, they may well be in the future. So make sure you give them a positive experience of your company.

Now to shortlisting; the best way to ensure that you treating all applicants equally is to have a scoring matrix based on the essential and desirable knowledge, skills and experience that are listed on your fantastic JD.

You can essentially tick the boxes where the relevant knowledge, skills or experience is evidenced and at a glance (or pivot table, if you are so inclined), see who matches your criteria, rather than assuming a degree of knowledge or basing your decision on your gut – just in case your selection process should ever be queried.

I would suggest that you start off telephone interviewing your top scoring 4-6 candidates.

The aim of a telephone interview is to form a rapport, check some basic information, ensure that the individual is truly interested in the role and that your salary matches their expectations. The conversation should last no more than 30 minutes.

The telephone interview should include the following:

·       Your name and role within the organisation

·       An overview of the company

·       An overview of the role and the expectations

·       Find out what interests them about the role

·       Confirm their current employment status

·       Check their salary expectations

·       Check if they are interviewing with any other organisations 

Then, either arrange a face to face interview or let them know when you’ll let them know if they will be invited for an interview. 

Let us know how our shortlist plan works for you.

Next week, we will be covering face to face interviews and assessments.

Variety Is The Spice Of… Amazing Teams

This month we’ve been looking at attracting the very best staff for your business, as we go into February and take you through the shortlisting, screening, interview and onboarding process I wanted to pause and make sure you and your team are trained to select the best.

It is important that all people involved in the recruitment process are trained in both effective recruitment and unconscious bias.

There are hugely talented individuals looking for roles that can flow with their lives, a bit like you when you started your business I think!

Your ideal candidate may not come from traditional backgrounds; they may be older, younger, disabled, have caring responsibilities but what they can do in a day may take someone else a week!

Like Dionne who had worked for years as an Executive Assistant for multinational organisations and had taken some time out of the working to care for her elderly parents, she was ready to return to work but still wanted to be flexible so that she could enjoy her life's passions, Dionne struggled to find a role that matched her needs and then she got an administrator post with a Tech startup, where she was able to work from home 2 days a week (which meant she could still have lunch with her local friends and get to her judo class on time). For the Tech start-up that she joined, they got an experienced staff member who kept them organised, systemised online filing system and made sure they never ran out of coffee or printer toner! James the CEO never imagined that his ideal candidate would look like Dionne, but in fact she exceeded his expectations.

Unconscious bias is about how our background, personal experiences, societal stereotypes and cultural context can have an impact on our decisions and actions without us even realising. Have you ever had an experience when you are introduced to someone and the moment you hear their name or their accent you have made an assumption about them? Or been surprised when the voice and the face don’t match?

That is unconscious bias and it can mean that the college or university that a candidate attended or the way they pronounce a word may predispose you to like or dislike them and their responses.

We all have biases, so it is important to realise what they are so that they can be addressed. As well as taking part in training, there are mechanisms that can be used in the shortlisting and interview process that keep you honest by ensuring that you only pick candidates based on their ability to perform the role as an effective part of your team.

I’ll be talking about the skills and tools you need to recruit effectively live on our Facebook business page at 9 pm GMT on Tuesday, to watch live or catch the replay like our page here and turn on the notifications.

If you need some support or training to get your ideal candidates on board Schedule a call to discuss how we can help you.

We will talk about how you get the evidence that you need to make an educated decision on who to select for your role and be legislatively compliant next week

That’s not in my JD!

It is really hard to effectively, recruit, set objectives and monitor success without having an up to date job description as a foundation document. Also when dealing with under-performing staff it is important that their job descriptions are correct, as you could be disciplining them for under-performing a task that they morphed into with no training or support.

Writing a job description is a fine balance of getting the important stuff in but leaving enough room for additional tasks to be absorbed without you being asked for a payrise. Remember, additional tasks shouldn’t generally require additional salary but additional responsibility could require additional remuneration.

A JD doesn’t need to be pages and pages, or a To Do list! Just ensure it covers the following:

• Job Title

Check out the terminology that other businesses in your industry and try to align your job titles to them as that is how most candidates search for roles, for example in the banking industry fraud investigators are often called forensic accountants

• Who the role reports to, and other key stakeholders

You should be able to highlight who the role reports to, givng an indication of seniority and any management responsibilities. Letting candidates know what relationships they are expected to develop is also important, especially if there are external businesses or authorities that need to be communicated with on a regular basis.

• Key areas of responsibility and the deliverables expected

These should be closely aligned to the objectives that you would be setting for the successful candidate. There should be 3 - 5 high level responsibilities and/or deliverables, e.g:

1 - Responsibility for the Customers Services department, a team of c30, with 4 direct reports and an annual budget of £750,000

2 - Provide an excellent customer services experience for all customers, via phone, email, live or chat

3 - Continuous improvement of the service

• Any required education and training

These are the ESSENTIAL qualifications or experience needed to be successful in the role

• Soft skills and behaviours necessary to excel

E.g. Attention to detail, organisation and time management, flexibility, negotiation, influencing, emotional resilience, etc.

• Location and any travel requirements

Where your offices are located and if any travel is required and how frequently 

 And Remember NOT to include:

• Internal terminology, jargon or acronyms

Give the full name for departments, technologies and protocols 

• Anything that could be considered discriminatory

E.g. Youthful, young, active, etc

• Writing a Wish List

You do not want to scare off potential candidates by including desirable skills and experience. Stick with what is needed to be successful in the role, otherwise you’ll be reducing your applicant pool.

I’ll be talking about creating your compelling job description live on our Facebook business page at 9 pm GMT on Thursday, to watch live or catch the replay like our page here and turn on the notifications.

If you need some support to get your ideal candidates on board Schedule a call to discuss how we can help you.

Next week we will be looking at how you shortlist your applications, to ensure you only interview the very best candidates.

Why would anyone want to work here?

When advertising a role you have to remember that recruitment is a two-way street, it’s not just about you finding a candidate with the skills, knowledge and experience that you need, you also need to make the role compelling so that your ideal candidate will read it and want to apply (or that someone who knows them will read the role and let them know that they’ve found the perfect role for them!).

So, while using your network and building your brand is vital in attracting great candidates, you need to capture the interest and imagination of these candidates, so that they can see themselves in the role and want to apply for it.

You also need to be clear about what you are looking for and the type of commitment that you need, so that you repel those whose skills and behaviours are not a match for your business.

In the career coaching part of our business, we always get our job seekers to list the deal breakers for their new (or first) role. Alongside remuneration, the distance of commute and flexible working, the list almost always includes organisational culture, autonomy, opportunities to build skills and develop their career as well as job security.

When you write your advert it is important that you tick as many of these elements as possible, this is what is going to get a candidate interested and researching your business before they apply. So what to cover:

Company Overview/Culture -

You need to share some information about the business and the clients that you serve. Try to let the culture of your business come through.

E.g. We are disruptors in the HR sector, established in 2014 by our founders to bring creative solutions to the challenges of starting and building an effective team by starting from the top. We work alongside CEO’s to ensure that quality leadership and management runs through their business and talent is valued and rewarded (as well as keeping legislatively compliant). Our clients love working with us because we work hard to understand their individual needs and create bespoke solutions that don’t leave them wrapped up in red tape.

Role Overview -

It’s important to have an overview of the role, what the main areas of responsibility are, why the role has been created and what they’ll get out of the role.

E.g. Are you as comfortable sitting in  boardroom as on a beanbag in preschool? Interested in getting to the depths of how a business works and then challenging the status quo to achieve great instead of good?

We are looking for an experienced HR Business Partner to work alongside our clients providing strategic and operational support tailored to their needs. You may be at the end of a phone, replying to emails, visiting their business premises or supporting them on a team offsite. 

Key Qualifications / Experience -

To get the right candidates applying for your role you need to be very clear about the skills that you are looking for and the behaviours that are needed to be successful in the role.

E.g. We are looking for a naturally curious HR Professional, with experience of supporting senior management teams with recruiting, talent management and employee relations, as well as strategic planning. CIPD (or equivalent) qualified. A clear and effective communicator, with experience of influencing others to see things their way.

You’ll need to be flexible in your approach and willing to work outside your core hours at times. In return, you’ll be numerated competitively, supported in your career aspirations and get to work alongside an amazingly fun and friendly team. If this sounds like the kind of role that you’d love to get your teeth into, apply here.

How do your job adverts compare to the example above?

I’ll be talking about capturing the interest of your ideal candidates live on our Facebook business page at 9 pm GMT on Thursday, to watch live or catch the replay like our page here and turn on the notifications.

If you need some support to revise your talent attraction strategy and documentation Schedule a call to discuss how we can help you.

Next week we will be looking at using the building blocks above to create an amazing Job Description and Person Specification.

Is your business attractive?

“I can’t find candidates that meet my expectations!” “I haven’t got time to train them on everything!”

Sound like you?

The struggle is real but I have the solution …

Great employees need to be attracted to your business, just like your ideal clients. I know you have a strategy to bring clients into your business but you also need to have a candidate attraction strategy, even if you aren’t actively hiring, you can always build a database of potential candidates (with their permission of course!).

Well-known organisations can use their reputation as industry leaders or innovators to attract candidates but how does a small business attract the best candidates? Here are some tips to help you.

Make sure that your business is visible – Don’t just think about your website and social media presence but being mentioned and interviewed in the industry and local press, guest blogging and getting interviewed on podcasts and sharing your expertise at local colleges and universities will boost your visibility with potential candidates. 

Share some behind the scenes secrets – Let candidates see what a fun, interesting and varied career they would have the opportunity to build if they join your business.

Provide opportunities for work experience and internships – This is a win/win you get some support as you grow your business and the chance to check out the student's skills.

Create/enhance the careers section on your website – Include case studies from staff and remember to allow potential employees to show an interest in joining your business even if you don’t have a suitable role open.

Utilise your network - The best candidates generally come through referrals, reach out to your network when you are recruiting and try offering a referral bonus to your existing staff to encourage them to share your vacancies with their network.

I’ll be sharing some in-depth tips on attracting and retaining amazing staff live on our Facebook business page at 9 pm GMT on Thursday, to watch live or catch the replay like our page here and turn on the notifications.

Next week I will be showing you how to write an advert that will attract your ideal candidate and repel the time wasters. Can wait? Schedule a call to discuss how we can help you grow an excellent team.

Is it Stay or Go?

Scott had employed Ian for 9 months and as time had gone by he was getting more and more dissatisfied with Ian’s attitude and lack of interest in taking more ownership and responsibility as part of his role.

So Scott contacted us and when we spoke it was apparent that there had been niggling concerns from the start of Ian’s employment but they weren’t addressed as he was ‘doing his job’ and the was ‘no time’.

Ian hadn’t been given any objectives or outcomes to meet when he joined, there were no scheduled review meetings (there was nothing to review!), Ian had been left to his own devices to carry out the tasks detailed in his job description and the probation period clause in his contract of employment meant that he was automatically confirmed after 3 months.

Now I can’t say 100% who was to blame about Ian’s lack of motivation, but in resolving the situation, it was apparent that there wasn’t a strategy in place to get Ian working in the way that Scott wanted him to.

Having an induction strategy is vital to being able to have enough evidence to decide should you new employee stay or go.

Here are some practical tips to get the evidence that you need to confirm, extend or fail an employee during their probation period and remain legislatively compliant:

Probation Clause

First things first, ensure that your probation clause states that it is only completed when confirmed in writing.

Clear, SMART objectives

During the first week of employment set objectives for the first 3-6 month, ensure they are clear and easily monitored.

Regular Reviews

Meet with your next starters once a week during the first month and at least fortnightly thereafter. Have a template to ensure you are reviewing how they are progressing against your objectives and well as ensuring that they have been provided with the support and training that they need to succeed.

Evidenced Feeback

Give clear objective feedback, so that there are no grey areas, it’s not how you feel, it’s what the evidence is showing you. For tips on having that ‘difficult conversation’ read our article here.

Extend or Terminate

If your new employee isn’t achieving the objectives that you have set for them, and you can demonstrate that they have been given the support and training needed to be successful. You have to decide whether to extend their probation period or terminate their contract. If you’ve been having the regular review sessions as discussed above and there has been little or no improvement, terminate, However, if there has been an improvement and there are just a couple of minor issues it may be worth expending the probation period for a month or two.

Document all of the above

Always, always, always ensure that you document your objective and review meetings.

Our Management Fundamentals online training will provide you with the practical skills you need to manage, motivate and develop your team, check out the details here.

Giving new staff the best start

Throughout the recruitment process, we focus on creating an amazing candidate experience. It’s a two way selling process; we want the best person for our organisation and they want, well they want what they want!

So once you’ve negotiated these waters, made an offer and had it accepted ... WAIT! Before you tick the task off your to do list, ask yourself “What’s Next?

Often there is a gap of a month or more between getting that offer accepted and an individual starting with your organisation, so how do you keep them feeling warm and fuzzy, as well as helping them to settle in once they do start?

Here are a few pointers:

Give them a Buddy

One of the best experiences of on-boarding that I had was being given a ‘Work Buddy’ before I’d started. I received weekly emails in the lead up to my joining date, was invited to payday Friday drinks before I was actually on payroll! Had someone to ask silly questions like where is the nearest sandwich place and is there a good place to get a lunchtime pedicure or how does my new boss like to the communicated with.

Day 1 Brilliance

Make sure their first day runs smoothly. I worked for one organisation, where on my first day the receptionist was waiting for me, my desk had my laptop, phone, note pad and other items and when I checked my emails, I have my induction meetings scheduled for the next few weeks (it included a trip to an international office). Everything was so smooth, I was able to hit the ground running and had access to all that I needed.

Induction Plan

So touching on Inductions, nothing is more frustrating that starting a role and having to find your way around an unfamiliar landscape unassisted. I remember starting a senior role with an organisation, and I didn’t receive my laptop until three days in. I had deliverables, but no way to deliver them! It was very frustrating and I felt like they were unprepared for me. Don’t worry I soon changed the starter process!

Having a detailed plan to introduce a new employee to key stakeholders, systems and processes cuts down on the time it takes to get a person up to speed, and allows you to see how long it should take for them to be fully utilised.

Warmest Welcome

A welcome lunch on the first day/week is always good. Getting to know someone socially is always good and it helps to build team rapport. I worked at one organisation where every month they had a welcome afternoon tea, where you had to speak with at least three people you hadn’t spoken with before, it was a really good way to get to know people in different departments.

Implementing an on-boarding process is a great way to engage with staff before they even start and show them how valued are as an addition to your team.

Contact us to ensure your onboarding process is as fabulous as your business is.

Three things NOT to do when Interviewing

I got an excited call from my career coaching client Lola, she’d got an interview for a role that she really wanted and was so excited! We prepped questions and techniques to stay relaxed and off she went. I then received an emotional call from her after her interview, the first thing she said was “I DO NOT want to work THERE!”. Turned out that the panel threw question after questions at her, didn’t smile or show any positive body language, or even offer a glass of water! Her experience put her off that company for life!

Here are THREE things that you should NEVER as an interviewer: 

One – Don’t make it all about the candidate’s skills 

Remember that interviews are a two-way sales process, don’t just throw out “Why do you want to work for us?” and “Why are you the best person for this role?” questions. Tell the candidate about your company, why it’s a great place to work, who’ll they’ll be working with and most importantly how you see the role developing. 

Two – Don’t be a scary interviewer 

Interviews are stressful enough without adding to the situation. We’ve all been in that sweaty palm, heart racing situation (sometimes as an interviewer!). To get the best out of a candidate, you want them to be at ease. Make them feel comfortable and indulge in a little small talk to develop a rapport. You’ll get more genuine responses and better insight into what they’d be like to work with. 

Three – Give feedback 

Even if a candidate isn’t right for you right now, they may be later on, or be able to recommend someone to you. They’ll only do that if they’ve had a great candidate experience and a big frustration for job hunters is a lack of feedback; after all how can they improve if no one tells them what needs improving!

Spend 5-10 minutes on the phone or writing an email with specific feedback, give 2/3 positives and 2/3 areas for development.

If you are planning to start or build your team get our FREE recruitment cheat sheet, giving you all the do’s and don’ts of interviewing to keep you legislatively compliant, with sample questions for you to ask.

You need _____ and _____ to build a team

Whenever I’ve spoken with a client about building their team and I ask when they want their new employee/consultant/temp to start the answer is normally yesterday!

And I totally get it, I should have hired a VA at least four months earlier than I actually did!

Thing is hiring the right person or company to support your business is going to take PLANNING and PAITENCE. It’s pointless getting someone in and not getting the best out of them, after all they are supposed to take some stress away from you, so that you can focus on delivering excellence to your clients.

Like my client Ade who hired a person to do his admin and finance tasks without a job description, this made it hard to monitor if his team member was working effectively and also led to Ade still doing some of the admin tasks, as the finance tasks had priority. Ade was frustrated and the employee felt like they were being set up to fail in their role.

However, once we sat down and looked at the tasks and skills needed, we were able to draw up a Job Description and agree objectives, so that there was clarity, which meant that Ade got the freedom he needed from the admin tasks and his employee, knew when to hand over finance issues to the accountant.

Ade thought his needed our services to help him to manage poor performance, instead he learnt how to manage his team by being outcome focussed.

It is so vital that you take time to PLAN what you need at the beginning of any hiring process NOT just new roles, even when you are replacing a team member, as priorities change.

Next week, I will be sharing the scoop on the 5 things EVERY Small Business Owner needs to know about hiring staff, each day I’ll be LIVE on our Facebook page, sharing a tip each day. By the end of the week you’ll know how to:

Decide what tasks to delegate and what tasks to keep, so that you can focus on the things that bring you joy and revenue.

Work out the best model for building your team, so that you get the help that you need, in the most cost effective way possible.

Select the best candidate for your role(s), so that you can base your decisions on facts and evidence.

Know your legal obligations, so that you can be confident that you are compliant with Employment legislation.

Train, review and motivate, so that you get the help that you need and can confidently address any issues.

Connect with us on Facebook and turn on notifications, so that you’ll be notified when I go LIVE each day.

I’m NEVER Managing staff again

I meet a lot of people and I can guarantee that someone will always tell me about a terrible experience they had with managing a team, which is why they’ll never do it again. Then they’ll tell me about their aspirations for their business or their career and I’ll just know that they’ll need to manage people in one shape or another to reach their target.

Do you have one of those nightmare stories?

Don’t get me wrong, I totally get it. There was a time when I literally cried every morning at the thought of going into work, I couldn’t even put the frustration that I felt into words, because I couldn’t trust that things would be completed in the way I needed them to and so I was working all the hours and doing EVERYTHING myself!

But I found a way through because, I wasn’t about to let anyone ruin my opportunity to achieve greatness and that’s what I do for my clients, help them to realise their aspirations.

Like Sandy who previously hired a deputy manager who had misappropriated funds; and so while she had grown her business and hired other staff, she could not bear to delegate any of the people management or financial elements of her business and so was stuck doing accounts and chasing invoices, when she should have been creating value for her clients and opening up new opportunities.

Sandy wasn’t loving her business, because she never got to do the fun stuff anymore and was working long hours and weekends. We worked on a programme to train and empower her managers, and delegated all of the people management activities to the managers (as it should be!); hired administrative staff and recruited a deputy. This meant that Sandy had more time to focus on growing and scaling her business, her customers were happier because they no longer had one stressed individual as their point of contact. Also, a new automated system for invoicing and chasing was implemented. This has meant that Sandy has been able to build her team

All this was possible because Sandy got the right systems, policies and processes in place for her business, so that she could ensure she wouldn’t be burnt again and that any employees issues could be nipped in bud.

If fear is the thing that’s holding you back from starting or building your team, you can start building your confidence, with our FREE comprehensive hiring guide and join our FREE Facebook group, for business owners who have staff or are planning to hire staff, where you can ask questions and seek advice – Let’s make your dream a reality.