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Three Paths to a Hire Power
04/24/09
In this tight economy, college store managers have to count on all employees to pull their weight. But some stores have had to cut or freeze staffing levels. Those allowed to hire may be overwhelmed with applications.
How can store managers get—and keep—competent, productive, and motivated workers?
In her CAMEX 2009 Catalyst Session, Winning the Race for Talent, author and life coach Kimaka McNair Willis said employers can make the most of recruiting and retention efforts if they focus on three crucial disciplines:
Fill your needs first.
Start by identifying your store's business strategy, Willis advised, and review your human resources needs with the strategy in mind.
"What are the top three things you need in place, in terms of people, to make that strategy a reality?" she asked. Those three things should help serve as the basis for developing job descriptions.
But some managers, Willis noted, don't bother with descriptions or even think about their needs before advertising a vacancy. They become enchanted with impressive resumes and make hires based on credentials that don't fit the organization's needs. Then the managers wonder why the new employees don't work out.
The other problem, she added, occurs when managers overthink their needs, stuffing so many requirements into a job description "that only Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman combined could do those things." Instead, step back and consider the core skills and competencies required for the position.
"Avoid unrealistic expectations," Willis recommended," and include soft skills." Among soft skills are the ability to interact positively with co-workers and customers. For some jobs, soft skills may be as important as technical capabilities. A cashier may need math skills and the ability to run the point-of-sale system, but since "that person is the last touchpoint customers have with your store, you'll want that person to have people skills, to be friendly even when they're stressed out," Willis said.
Willis said it's also important for managers to "commit to a hiring strategy" beforehand to avoid a haphazard approach to hiring. That means laying out a step-by-step plan for creating a job posting, recruiting applicants, reviewing applications, writing interview questions, conducting interviews, possibly testing technical skills, and checking references.
Eliminate excess.
"Sometimes our processes, or even our people, get in the way," Willis pointed out. "Where is the clutter in your organization?"
Overly elaborate processes, including forms and other paperwork, not only add cost, but can drain employees' time and energy and crush their enthusiasm and creativity. Simplify and streamline those processes to free up your store's staff.
In a similar fashion, communications can get bogged down, especially when there's too much detail and tend to go only in one direction. "How effectively are you communicating with your people?" Willis asked. "How well can they communicate with you? Are they afraid to come to you?"
Dealing with personnel "clutter" is often the most difficult for managers. "Sometimes there are people who get in the way of the results we need," Willis said. "Sometimes people come in with the worst attitude and it just cripples the organization. It's unfair to the people in the organization who want to do a good job" and equally unfair to hold onto an employee who doesn't fit the job, she added. "There's somewhere else they can blossom."
Maximize team strengths.
"We have lots of talented people in our organizations, but it's important we don't get so caught up in operations and fail to see people who can help run our operations," Willis said.
Employees may possess experience and skills not used in their current duties, or they may have an aptitude or interest in another area. "Get to know them a little better," Willis suggested. "Think, 'What can I pull out of this individual?' Maybe put that person in another role."
You don't necessarily have to give someone a promotion. Delegate a task or let the person tackle a new project. In some cases, giving an employee a new opportunity might even be an effective way to convert a negative trait into a positive, Willis said—for example, put a bossy worker in charge of something.
"What strengths are hibernating in your organization?" she said.
—Cindy Ruckman
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