Clare Parkes, director for Clarian Human Resources, says having the right staff is crucial for a small business.
We took on a couple of people who weren't really a great fit for our company before the recession. What do we do about it?
Overall: Be clear about what you do want; set expectations and then manage to either develop and improve current capability or manage the exit of the employee(s) through the appropriate consultation process.
* What are the standards of performance that you require and what's the current gap? Be realistic and understand whether the employee isn't meeting these standards because of a capability problem or an attitude problem.
* Meet the employee informally to talk through the situation; if it's capability, set your expectations out clearly and what the employee needs to demonstrate to provide you what you want.
How do we keep our staff motivated as our company changes direction and starts exploring some new markets?
Overall, the more you know about your team, the more they understand why change is needed and the more they are involved in the process of change, the more successful you will be. Equip your managers with the skills to manage change. Take your team on the journey with you.
We have been advertising for some new staff in IT and project management but we don't seem to be attracting the right people. What are we doing wrong?
New Zealand should have the skills you require, however, we know that there is a shortage of professional staff moving around. You need to be really clear about what you want, without being overly ambitious; ask yourself, does this person really exist?
* If the problem is "fit", then you might need to look at your "employment brand"; ie, what it is that can attract people to your business over others. Promote this in your advertising, the way you conduct your recruitment etc. Good people look for more than just money; they are looking for somewhere they feel they fit and that can offer them a future they believe in.
* If the problem is lack of technical skill, then re-evaluate your expectations; speak with a few agencies to understand what calibre of people they are seeing approach them.
* Be open to immigrants; New Zealand experience is not always as important as you may think; look beyond your current industry or related industry, most technical skills are transferable.
I am aware that we have a bit of a knee-jerk approach to hiring staff - is there a better way?
Yes! Stop for a while, consider why the staff are needed, what is needed, if you have internal talent that can be developed and take on extra responsibilities, and look to the strategy and goals of the business to guide you in considering if you need more staff. This is called workforce planning.
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