by Beth | Jul 24, 2019 | Employee Hiring, Hiring Managers, Selecting Good Candidates
Recently, I was chosen as a speaker for Vistage, an executive coaching organization that helps CEOs and executives of all levels become better leaders. All speakers receive ratings based on content, delivery and real-world applicability. I was honored and humbled to receive 5 out of 5 for content and real world applicability, and it definitely reaffirmed something that I find in my business each day – hiring good people for any size organization continues to be relevant, challenging and the defining cornerstone of any organization.
If you are continuing to find this challenge, remember that I’m here to help your organization personally, or to continue to spread the word through speaking engagements. This challenge is here to stay, and I’m here to help alleviate some of the stress of hiring.
by Beth | Jul 10, 2019 | Employee Hiring, Selecting Good Candidates
Let’s talk about the heavy bag…the bane of my existence. I am learning how to box, and last week, I had a particularly bad workout with the bleeping heavy bag. I was coming off a week with lots of physical activity, and I hadn’t slept well the night before. All in all, the stars aligned for a bad workout, and frustration took over. When things weren’t going the way I wanted, I broke down in tears over the $#%@! heavy bag.
My trainer, who is an accomplished boxer himself, pulled me aside and said “Everyone needs a Corner Man. Someone who is in your corner, pushing you when you need it, giving you water and a towel at the bell, and cheering you on in your hard moments.” These words really resonated with me, because I think everyone needs this reminder from time to time – both in business and in life.
I have often seen that level of frustration happen in hiring. A candidate that you thought would be amazing backs out at the last minute. The one applicant that you wanted to hire blows an interview. You have eight interviews scheduled in a day, and no one makes the cut. What most people do in this moment is give up and “just hire someone already’, when this is the time to keep pushing forward. After all, dealing with people is always unpredictable, and situations arise that you don’t expect. A Corner Man knows just when to step in and remind you that the time to stay strong is now, because to give up will only lead to more frustration and eventual regret that you gave up.
If you find yourself completely frustrated with the hiring process, and are ready to throw in the towel, I can help. I would be honored to be your Corner Man, to cheer you on and remind you that the right person is out there for you if you just keep pushing forward.
In the meantime, I am back on the (damn) heavy bag with my trainer in my corner.
Happy Hiring!
by Beth | Jun 20, 2019 | Uncategorized
A friend of mine was hired recently to work for a large corporation. Upon being hired, he was informed that if he arrived to work on time for his first 2 straight weeks, he would receive an $800 bonus. Further, if he arrived on time for the following 2 straight weeks, he would receive another $800 bonus. Lastly, if he was on time for work for 4 straight weeks, he would receive an additional $2000. Thus, the motivation of the company is a guarantee that this new employee would be on time for work for his first 8 weeks, in turn setting good habits for on-time work arrival.
As I have recounted this story to those in my network, the reactions have been varied and intense. Comments such as:
“You have got to be kidding me! They are paying someone a bonus to show up for work?”
“Is this what we have come to as to implement company culture?”
“I thought that being on time for work is what a salary is for.”
“What happened to the work ethic?”
It is interesting to me the visceral reactions to using monetary bonuses to reinforce desired behavior in an employee. It is also very interesting to me as to why the company feels compelled to offer money to an employee to ensure they will be on time.
The real fact is that being late is a sign of lack of commitment. If your new employees are not automatically arriving to work at the agreed upon time, they should not have been hired. Ask more questions during your interviews about timeliness to avoid having to incentivize punctuality. After all, your time is too valuable to invest in a bad hire.
by Beth | Jun 6, 2019 | Employee Retention, Good Management
I have a very good friend that we will call Charles who works for a huge global company of around 30,000 employees. Charles has worked for this company for 21 years, and recently decided to resign. Charles felt that he had grown all that he could in his current role and has chosen to move on.
He dutifully called the HR department to respectfully give his 2 weeks notice. He was told that in order to resign, he had to go to the company website, find the HR page and click on the link to resign.
Oh, it gets better.
Then, he had 14 days to “change his mind”. All he had to do was to go back to the company website, click on the HR page, find his resignation and click cancel.
In that 2-week period, no human being reached out to him. No one told his team. There was no one to turn his equipment into. He left with zero fanfare. After 21 years.
Please keep in mind that this company will pay $10,000 for any referral that becomes a full-time employee.
And we wonder why our employees aren’t more fully engaged at work. Perhaps it is time to put the “human” back into human resources.
by Beth | May 23, 2019 | Adventures in Interviewing, Employee Hiring
I was having a lovely conversation with a potential new vendor a few weeks back. I was telling her about how my bad hire so many years ago had made national news and launched my career as an interviewing coach. I told her that this was a club where no one wanted to be a member. She graciously laughed and then said to me, “You received a lifetime membership to the BHA: Bad Hires Anonymous”.
Boy did I ever.
All of the clients that I have worked with over the years have been and are currently a member of this club. It is almost like you have to be a member before you understand the true devastation of a bad hire.
Please note that you are not alone. Here is the criteria for club membership: Anyone who has been in business for any length of time who has ever hired an employee, and anyone who has been in charge of employees, has at some point made a bad hire.
What I want you to know is that it is not you. A bad hire isn’t something to be ashamed of or something that you need to hide. It is simply an indicator of a skill set that you need to learn and that you ensure that your employees learn.
In the meantime, welcome to the club.
