Staffing Agency Services Can Help Employers Avoid Bad Hiring Decisions
When an employer has a hiring need, whether due to expansion, departure, or employee retirement, there is often (always?) a sense of urgency to fill the vacancy/vacancies; this is to be expected in the majority of cases but can be further magnified based on the size of the employee base, the type of business, and/or the level of responsibility associated with the open position or positions.
Unfortunately, this degree of urgency can impair the decision-making process; while the intent to find a replacement as quickly as possible is certainly understandable, and likely necessary too, the impact of rushed or unstructured recruiting and hiring can lead to the selection of a less-than-adequate candidate – more commonly known as a bad hire.
Whenever companies make hiring decisions, they are in essence investing in their future. Although it may take a while for any new employee to begin making a contribution to the organization, their employer is financing their development upfront in the form of salary, training, and resource allocation, with the goal of achieving significant returns over time.
Sadly, when a hiring decision goes wrong, it can cost the company as much as five times the annual salary committed to that employee, including the expense of finding another replacement. Additionally, depending on the particular job title/responsibilities, these situations can adversely impact external client perceptions and internal staff attitudes in relation to other aspects of the business, such as:
- Product quality
- Company image
- Customer service
- Employee morale
- Employee retention
- Revenue generation
- Corporate productivity
There are many circumstances that can contribute to bad hiring decisions, most notably:
- Lack of internal resources
- Candidate pool is too narrow
- Limited or ineffective advertising
- Incomplete screening/interviewing
- Pressure to fill positions immediately
- Inexperienced or biased decision makers
- Subjective influences versus hiring on merit
In an attempt to avoid the consequences of bad hiring decisions, employers may want to consider implementing the following steps/actions within their recruiting/hiring process:
- Have a corporate brand – use graphics/terminology that clearly describe the business
- Truth in advertising – accurately describe the work environment, all job requirements
- Set an interview protocol – how many, with whom, content, decision-making process
- Involve multiple levels of the company – in the interview process; asking for referrals
- Focus interviews on past behaviours/experience versus theory/hypothetical scenarios
- Assess candidacy through various interactions: phone, e-mail, third parties, in person
- Thorough background checks – references, educational transcripts, social media sites
- Specify preferred references – previous managers, former customers, past colleagues
- Post-hire assessment – monitor performance, development, fit with corporate culture
Developing, applying, and abiding by such actions and principles will assist employers in attracting more viably qualified candidates, while discouraging those less suitable, during the recruiting phase; adherence to these commitments will also help in assessing current skills, future potential, and cultural fit throughout the screening and interviewing stages.
Understandably, some or all of the above might seem overwhelming to many employers, particularly those without dedicated in-house recruiting and hiring resources and/or who may have more sporadic staffing needs. In these types of circumstances, employers can turn to the recruiting support and services offered by a professional staffing agency such as Winters Technical Staffing.
As a leading staffing agency in Toronto for over 40 years, Winters Technical Staffing has the expertise and resources that employers need to effectively implement the recruiting and hiring process from beginning to end; this breadth of knowledge and experience will in turn support and satisfy the employer’s desire to secure high potential/highly qualified candidates, and in a cost-effective and timely manner as well.
Extensive Recruiting Support to Make Informed and Confident Hiring Decisions
The success of any recruiting initiative relies on the effective implementation of several important steps/actions. A professional staffing agency, like Winters Technical Staffing, can dedicate the necessary resources, time, and attention to each step of that process in order to help employers make informed and confident hiring decisions.
Services available from the staffing specialists at Winters Technical Staffing can include:
- Preparing job postings
- Advertising via social media
- Resume and candidate screening
- Coordination of in-person interviews
- Completion of reference/background checks
- Skills testing procedures(as required/requested)
Contact Winters Today
Avoid the potential consequences of bad hiring decisions by contracting the services of a professional staffing agency to coordinate your recruiting needs. Call Winters Technical Staffing today at 416-495-7422 to discuss the extent of our services.
