Hiring and managing staff for an online business can be stressful, especially if your business is new. While hiring new employees is supposed to make your job easier, that is not always the case. There is the possibility of bad hires, no matter what type of business you run. To make sure the people you hire are going to be good for your business, here are some tips on how to hire and manage staff.
Take Your Time When Hiring
While it is only natural to want to hire staff quickly, so that your business can be on track to meet goals, take your time during the hiring process. Don’t hire someone just because you need a project done at the moment. You might end up regretting it. Ensure a new hire is what you need by asking questions, being upfront about the job description and taking the time to really talk to them. Try having a conversation on the phone rather than send messages back and forth. This can give you a lot of insight as to what kind of employee they will be.
If the job calls for a physical role, you’ll want people working next to you. But if the role requires digital skills, such as marketing, content management, virtual communication, it would be best to hire remote workers.
The benefits of hiring remotely include lower rates, flexible communication, access to better talent pool, lower (or zero) overhead expenses.
With Affordable Blogging’s staff log, freelancers can handle your content management needs from anywhere in the world, at a price that you can afford.
Be Honest with the Job Description
You will have more success with hiring new employees if you are honest about what the job entails. Don’t try to sugarcoat it to attract candidates. By being honest, you can ensure the right person will come along. People who are hired and then find out the job isn’t what they thought may become frustrated, and then the job won’t get done.
Set Expectations Early
Just as being honest with the description of the job will be helpful, so will setting expectations early. If you expect that employees will check in with you each day, or once a week, let them know what you expect early. If you don’t spell it out, they won’t know. Neither of you is a mind reader, so it is important to let a new employee know all your requirements right away.
Discuss Goals
An employee who knows the goals of the company will be more invested in meeting them. During the hiring process, you should let the candidate know what the company’s goals are and how they can help reach them. If they don’t agree or believe in the goals you have, do not hire them. Find someone else who can support your company with the same level of zeal that you have.
Keep the Lines of Communication Open
Ensure your employee knows they can come to you no matter what. Having an open-door policy will allow them the opportunity to ask questions, let you know when something is going wrong, and ask for assistance. Make sure employees know when you are available and how they can reach you during those times.
Depending on your business, you might want to give them a way to contact you in the case of an emergency. If something does go wrong, make sure to take a deep breath and handle it professionally. This will ensure your employees will come to you when help is needed. If they know you believe in them, they will do better work.
Make Sure Employees Stay Engaged
Check in with employees often to make sure they are engaged in the work. Ask them if there is anything you can do for them, how the work is going, and what they need from you to continue to be successful. Even if they don’t need anything, it will help to create a good working relationship.
When managers show they care about the employee, work is more likely to get done on time. If employees feel they don’t matter, they may not be engaged in what they are doing. By challenging your employees and giving them important work, they will stay engaged.
Focus on Strengths
All employees are going to bring a different strength to the table. Be positive and focus on individual strengths. If you give employees work they can be successful at, it is more likely to work out for everyone. By helping each employee shine in their own way, they will feel successful and will do a better job. Everyone comes with different experience and knowledge, and it is important to focus on the positives by allowing individual strengths to come through.
It is important not to settle when hiring new employees for your online business. It will not be helpful for you, your business, or the employee if you settle. Hiring can be a tricky process, and you may not know what you are getting from the employee until after they have been working for you for a bit. The more time you take in the beginning when getting to know them, let them know your expectations and goals and manage them effectively, the better results you will have.
