| How can managers improve their "batting | | | | members of the workforce, particularly as they |
| average" in the employee selection, hiring, | | | | observe the behaviors and performance of the |
| evaluation, retention and discipline processes? | | | | under-performers. |
| Selection, Hiring, and Evaluation | | | | A Better Approach |
| The employee selection process can be | | | | A reasonable and realistic remedy is DON"T HIRE |
| abbreviated due to pressing staffing issues or | | | | THE EMPLOYEE in the first place. Instead, make |
| truncated because of hiring priorities, a limited | | | | new employees Contact workers. |
| applicant pool, unsound evaluation processes, or | | | | Hiring on a Contract basis for a defined period |
| any of a number of reasons. The standard | | | | gives the employee the opportunity to |
| process results in businesses hiring and retaining | | | | demonstrate their abilities, while providing |
| certain employees that they should not have. | | | | management with the time to observe their |
| Businesses generally hire employees, then give | | | | performance (WITHOUT HAVING THEM ON THE |
| them a probationary period of from six months | | | | EMPLOYEE PAYROLL). Then, following the |
| to a year. During the probationary period | | | | contract period, if there are any doubts, just don't |
| employees can be released without much fuss or | | | | renew the contract. This is a much simpler, |
| fanfare as long as State and Federal regulations | | | | straightforward and less risky process. Following |
| are observed. However, unsatisfactory | | | | expiration of the contract, management will have |
| employees often get through this probationary | | | | the flexibility to renew the contract, not renew |
| period due to managerial neglect, ineptitude, or | | | | the contract, or perhaps (and, best of all), hire the |
| conflicting priorities. Managers, caught up in their | | | | employee. |
| day-to-day work responsibilities, oftentimes fail to: | | | | A caveat |
| 1) adequately monitor and evaluate the | | | | As with everything it is not as simple as it |
| performance of new employees, | | | | appears. While this approach has attractive |
| 2) document unsatisfactory performance, and/or | | | | features, there are some potential drawbacks. |
| 3) submit the required paperwork on time. | | | | The best employees may not wish to be hired as |
| In addition, there is a perception problem. New | | | | "only" a contractor. |
| hires (probationers) are viewed as permanent | | | | And, there is the sticky matter of Employee |
| employees by their colleagues, management and | | | | Benefits. |
| themselves. Furthermore, the new employees | | | | Despite these issues, the realities of employee |
| become ensconced in the organization and its | | | | selection and hiring make the Contract Employee |
| social network even if they are not high-quality. | | | | approach a better one. |
| Retention/ Discipline Issues | | | | Copyright 2008, Dr. Ben A. Carlsen, MBA. All |
| As indicated, the standard process results in | | | | Rights Reserved Worldwide for all Media. You may |
| businesses hiring and retaining employees that | | | | reprint this article in your ezine, newsletter, |
| they should not have. This, in turn, causes training | | | | newspaper, magazine, website, etc. as long as |
| and discipline hassles and expenditures, while | | | | you leave all of the links active, do not edit the |
| prohibiting the company from having the | | | | article in any way, leave my name and bio box |
| competitive advantage of the best available talent. | | | | intact, and you follow all of the EzineArticles |
| This environment can also "contaminate" other | | | | Terms of Service for Publishers. |