In previous posts, we have discussed how employees are selected and trained. We can now examine how to measure and manage performance through a performance management system, as well as some of the pitfalls you can encounter during the process.

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The challenge:

When TPD started working with a Vancouver tech startup, the CFO recognized the company had two issues – the first was a gap in recruiting capabilities, and the second was an inherently negative company culture.

The organization had been in the e-commerce software business for over a decade. As an opportunity to switch gears presented itself, they changed the direction of business – more than once. 

As a result, employees were not confident in the company’s strategy, direction, or leadership. 

From a Recruiting perspective, several big-name tech companies (Microsoft, Amazon) were also moving into Vancouver at the same time, making the demand for top-tier tech talent incredibly high.

The startup was struggling to make traction in the market in terms of Recruitment, and had roles that remained vacant for 7-8 months.

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Companies tend to invest a lot of resources in hiring employees. Too often, though, the onboarding process for new hires doesn’t reflect that investment – and poor onboarding can lead to the time and money that was spent on recruiting being squandered. For instance, respondents in one survey said that they had quit a job within six months of starting. Of those, many cited as reasons for leaving things like not having clear guidelines, ineffective training and lack of connection with coworkers – all things that could have been addressed with a robust onboarding program.

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After sourcing candidates and screening resumes for experience and skills, the interviewing phase of the hiring process is key to assessing a candidate’s overall fit with the role, company culture, and long term vision of the organization.

To interview effectively, it’s crucial that you use a range of interview questions that help to get a comprehensive view of the candidate’s character, past experiences, motivations and future goals.

The following interview techniques are common techniques employers use:

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Hiring someone for a marketing role is a big step for any small to medium sized company.

Having a need for a marketing team signals that a company has reached a certain milestone to justify hiring a full-time professional to help grow the business.

That being said, when your Marketing department is made up of only a few individuals, hiring the wrong people can be detrimental to the success of your organization.

So how do you know if your new hire can help your company get measurable results, more qualified leads, more customers, and increase your revenue?

Follow these 4 helpful tips to help narrow your search and find the ideal marketing professional:

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Remember back in grade school, getting that gold star on your test, or the encouraging comments written at the top of your assignments? As kids, we took that praise to heart, reveling in a sense of accomplishment.

Turns out, our individual need to be recognized doesn’t change much with age.

Gallup research shows that the number one reason most Americans leave their jobs is that they don’t feel appreciated. In fact, 65% of people in a survey said they didn’t get any recognition for the good work they did last year.

Moreover, another survey reported that 69% of employees say they would work harder if their efforts were better recognized. 

Unfortunately, gratitude is often overlooked.

Recognizing your employees is one of the easiest, yet most effective ways to keep engagement high (and keep turnover low!)

Still – not all employee recognition programs should be considered equal. Some methods are better than others when it comes to showing your team that you appreciate their hard work.

While many employers believe their ‘employee of the month’ initiatives are an easy way to motivate employees, new research indicates that these programs can actually hurt the company’s overall performance.

According to the study published earlier this year in Organization Science – This type of traditional recognition are counter-productive for business, as they affect perceptions of equity and fairness, which can demotivate employees who are internally motivated and don’t need this extra recognition to perform well.

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In today’s job market, hiring the right people has become more critical than ever. Companies can no longer afford the valuable time, money, or poor results associated with a bad hire. Taking adequate time to find the best person for the role – someone who isn’t just technically capable, but also a good fit socially – is extremely important.

Check out these 7 Ted Talks that will inspire your hiring process:

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The days where employees would spend decades with the same company are long gone. A Workopolis survey conducted last year found that “51% of those polled had been in the same job for less than two years, while 30% had held one job for over four years”.

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