Recruiting, Selection, Orientation & Training Employees in a Small Company
Small businesses must compete with large corporations in attracting and retaining top talent. Unfortunately, most small businesses don’t have large human resources departments; they often have one dedicated HR employee who's responsible for recruiting and training all new employees. This can be a challenging task, as there are many components necessary to find and retain the most qualified candidates. Fortunately, there are many tools available to streamline these processes.
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Recruiting
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Save money and time by using free online job boards to post open positions. Invest some time to write clear job descriptions that spell out the required qualifications and requirements. Use local staffing agencies to help with difficult-to-fill positions that require specialized training and backgrounds. Offer referral bonuses to your current employees so you have additional help finding candidates who'll fit the company culture. Join industry associations to network with potential employees for more senior positions.
Selection
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Use standard interview worksheets that include questions about the actual position requirements and past work experience. This will help you compare candidates in a more objective manner. Consider using personality or skills assessment tests to see if the candidate will fit into your small business culture. Besides asking questions about the actual job, ask about the candidate’s preferred management style to ensure he’s a match with his future boss or subordinates.
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Orientation
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Write a comprehensive employee handbook that covers all the policies and procedures in your small business. Include confidentiality agreements and other forms in the handbook. Go over these documents with new employees on their first day. Include instructions about setting up company email and logging into the company intranet, as well as any rules or regulations about computer usage.
Training
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Some employees learn by reading, while others need hands-on experience. Choose a training method that encompasses both types of learners. For example, list the company mission statement and product or service information in a written training manual, but teach the company software program through demonstrations. Hire an external training vendor to set up online training modules so employees can complete their training at home or in the office. Ask your current star employees to train new team members. Encourage long-term employees to stay on top of industry trends by completing professional development workshops or by reimbursing them for training-related books.
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