Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Upon occasion, I?ve written columns related to hiring new employees. These column titles have included:
- Getting Permission to hire
- Reviewing Resumes
- Deciding which person to hire
- Interviewing Job Candidates
- Hire people that love their work
In this week?s column, I would like to discuss hiring from a different perspective, namely, the importance of hiring the right people. By the right people, I don?t necessarily mean hiring the person who is the smartest, the most experienced, the most educated, etc. I mean hiring the person who:
- Will, in the long run, perform the job best
- Will continue working for you for an extended length of time
- Fits in well from a personality perspective with others in your group
- Helps bring your group up, rather than bring them down
- Enhances your group?s productivity
- Is a no-problem employee, that is to say, doesn?t cause you problems
- Has all the other related traits that makes a great employee
As a manager, one of the most important things you can do is hire good people. It?s important to the company, your manager, your department, and you personally.
Good hires are important to your company for three primary reasons. First everyone, employed by the company, including you, is an expense to the company based on salary, benefits, occupancy (office space, phone, etc.) and, like all companies and investments; a specific Return On Investment (ROI) is expected. The ROI on an employee is based on the value of the work done by the employee. Second, all companies have a limited supply of salary dollars. Therefore, if the company hires a low performing employee, there is an opportunity cost related to the work that could have been done by a hire producing employee. Lastly, under-performing and/or problem employees take up a disproportionate amount of their manager?s time, therefore, it also reduces the ROI of the person?s manager (namely you).
Good hires are important to your department for two primary reasons. First, is that each time a new employee is hired into a department, the interactions within the group can change. A single new employee added to the mix can enhance the team?s cooperation and cohesiveness or if the wrong person is hired it can literally destroy the group?s positive dynamics and turn a very happy and productive group into one with infighting, backstabbing, and a low output. Second, if the new employee has low productivity, which means a little more work for everyone else in the group, rather than a welcomed reduction in everyone?s workload.
Good hires are important to you as the hiring manager for three primary reasons. First, as a manager you are judged on your ability to make good decisions. That said, the people you hire will be a direct and continued reflection of your decision making capabilities. Second, you as a manager are judged on the productivity of your department and the morale of your employees. A new hire can significantly affect your team?s productivity, both positively and negatively. Lastly, if you hire the wrong person, you will have to correct the problem, thus spending time and emotional energy dealing with a difficult employee issue.
The above thoughts on the importance of hiring good people suggests the following;
- There is a high ROI related to spending the time and effort required to assure that you hire the right person.
- Hiring the wrong person is a loss for everyone, including the person you hired.
- Your hiring decisions can be directly related to your success or failure as a manager and dramatically (positively or negatively) effect your future at the company.
- As a manager, learning how to hire the right people can be enormously advantageous to your career.
This blog is an excerpt from my weekly nationally syndicated column with GateHouse News Service. My new columns can be found in GateHouse Media publications throughout the United States.
Until next time, manage well, manage smart, and continue to grow.
Eric Bloom
President and CTO
Manager Mechanics, LLCwww.ManagerMechanics.comwww.MMTrainingTechnologies.comwww.EricPBloom.comAlso, follow Eric on Twitter at
@EricPBloom