Having Trouble Hiring Or Rehiring? 3 Questions To Ask Yourself
Many companies are on hiring frenzies right now and finding it harder than ever to suddenly fill their open positions with willing and able team members. It is frustrating for both current overworked staff and company executives who are suddenly facing the rush of business due to mask mandates being lifted and rapidly decreasing COVID rates.
In times of frustration, we can sometimes seek to blame rather than seek to understand. As a leadership coach, I encourage my clients to focus on the factors that they can actually control and not those beyond their scope of influence. Consider all factors of the equation.
Here are 3 questions you can ask yourself if you are currently having trouble attracting good talent to your business:
1- Are you paying what they are worth?
a. Many companies laid people off during the peak of the COVID pandemic. Now all those businesses are having hiring parties. What you offered before may have gotten you by, but the recruiting competition just got fiercer than possibly ever in your lifetime. Honestly ask yourself: are you paying your team members what they are truly worth or even a livable wage for your area?
b. Check out what the competition is offering the same positions including health care (a major factor for most families), paid time off, and retirement benefits. Is your compensation package measuring up to your competition?
2- What is your current employee satisfaction?
a. Do you have team members that have been with the company for a long time and feel like they are undervalued?
As with sales, word of mouth is your biggest source of advertisement. If you have team members who currently feel undervalued, they will be hard pressed to recommend friends and contacts to your business.
b. Consider a “Stay Interview” of all your team members.
It’s like an “Exit Interview” but for staff that are currently working. It gives you an insight into the state of your team culture and morale. Many executives get tough reality checks when they administer this type of survey. It opens the door, however, to impactful changes that ultimately lead to greater productivity and profitability.
If you need help figuring out what a “Stay Interview” would look like, feel free to contact me for a consultation.
3- Does your interview process reflect an environment of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion?
a. With so much competition in the hiring arena, people have more options. Have you done a thorough review of your interview process to ensure your questions and format reflect a culture and workplace that will foster confidence in that prospective teammate? Will they get the sense that they will be treated with respect, equity (different from equality), and inclusivity, even if they look different, think differently and have opposing political opinions to the leadership team? People go where they will feel comfortable. How comfortable do you make it for people who are different?
b. Does your hiring process target a diverse hiring pool?
c. Does your interview team reflect a diverse team? People have a lot of choices and they will lean towards working for a business that makes them feel like they will be valued and given opportunity to grow in light of their unique background and identity. Are the actual people who are part of the interview process diverse?
This is one that is easy to overlook. I have worked with leaders who truly believed their hiring process checked this box, but on closer inspection, we found that it actually did not foster a culture of equity and inclusivity as they believed. Tweaking a few things in this one area made a huge difference in their ability to attract talent to their teams.
Also, keep in mind that just because we all want to sing “Ding Dong The COVID Witch Is Dead,” and as much as some never felt the real sting of the COVID virus, there are still millions of people who have battled life-death situations or watched someone very close and dear to them die of COVID and are therefore still very uncomfortable with ripping off the mask and throwing out social distancing protocols. If you did not face such a situation, you may not easily understand the trauma connected to this pandemic. You may be struggling to be empathetic with someone who still fears going out in public. Seeking to understand means attempting to see things from another’s point of view and experience. Not all people are vaccinated, not even half of our population. This can make it very difficult for someone to suddenly drop their apprehensions and enter a public-facing workplace right now.
As a business consultant and leadership coach who focuses on client and team engagement, I help my clients see all sides of the equations so that they can clearly spot and leverage their opportunities and resources. If an answer is out of their control, it is not the real answer nor the real problem. Intelligent solutions come from asking intelligent questions.
If you are having trouble attracting good talent to your business:
1- Seek expert help. Perhaps hire a consultant or coach or talent recruiter.
2- Be willing to take a hard, honest inventory of your hiring process and company culture.
3- Be willing to change.
In the face of adversity, don’t waste your time with seeking to blame. Instead, seek to understand and be willing to recalibrate based on your new understanding.
For help with your hiring or DEI initiatives, feel free to reach out to me at:
Mitch Savoie Hill, Certified Executive Coach, International TEDx Speaker, and DISC Certified Corporate Trainer, is the Founder and CEO of SavHill Consulting LLC.
With over 25 years of experience in Sales, Hospitality, Training and Leadership, she delivers engaging and energetic presentations for any company or group wanting to increase engagement and productivity. As a leadership coach and consultant, Mitch helps her clients clarify their vision, map out actionable strategies, and turn roadblocks into runways to success!
To find out more about Leadership Coaching or Corporate Training with Mitch,
Schedule a complimentary consultation here -
https://www.savhillconsulting.com/speaking-training