How Do You Find A ‘Good’ Employee?

I have known several owners of small companies and they all say that the biggest ‘headache’ of owning a business is dealing with the employees. The financial and strategic problems and decisions are not what stresses them out. These individuals thrive on challenge and embrace the tactical maneuverings required to be successful in business. But they all agree that the interaction with employee problems, complaints, and issues can take the fun out of running a business. So how do you resolve this problem?

Some companies have turned to employee leasing programs. They bring in a company that specializes in leasing employees. The leasing company is given a description of the position that needs filling and the qualifications required and it is their job to recruit, screen, test, and hire the right individuals. The company that leases the employees have a final say in who they accept to work for their company. If the employee does not work out, the company calls the leasing company and requests a replacement. The employees are technically not an employee of the company where they work everyday. Their paychecks and benefits all come from the leasing company. If they have a complaint, they must take it to their employer – the leasing company. Unfortunately, this still does not resolve the ‘petty’ issues that come up every day regarding employees who have a disagreement with each other, or complain that their supervisor upset them. But some of the issues and most of the recruiting and hiring work are taken off the backs of the small company owners.

But what does a company do if they do not want to lease their employees? How do they find the right employees? What do you look for? Probably the most important quality to look for in a prospective employee is their enthusiasm for their work. Do they get joy out of a job well done, or are they working everyday just to support themselves? Do they take pride in the quality of their work and their business accomplishments? Steer clear of individuals who are looking to put in 8 hours a day for the money they get to support themselves and/or their family. They will never be a truly happy employee. Your company is simply a means of support to them.

When interviewing a prospective employee, ask them to tell you about their past accomplishments. Look for genuine pride in their voice and expression when they describe what they’ve done. Look for signs of ‘passion’ about their vocation. Beware, however, of the individual who takes credit for everything good that transpired in their past job and does not give any credit to a ‘team’ or co-workers. Only hire them if the job is a solo position requiring no interaction with other employees.

Finally, keep in mind that you are never going to make all of the people happy all of the time. You will go crazy to even try it. Prepare an employee ‘handbook’ that sets down the rules and make sure everyone gets a copy. If you make changes to it, hand out the changes and get the employees to sign a receipt that they received the changes. If everyone knows the rules, they can’t complain for not being paid for calling in sick the day after a holiday, if it’s in the handbook.

The author, Marge Bonura, is the Director of Sales & Marketing for New England Machinery, Inc. (NEM). NEM is a leading manufacturer of bottle unscramblers, cappers, orienters, retorquers, lidders, pluggers, pump sorter/placers, scoop feeders, hopper elevators and much more. The company has been in business since 1974 selling to the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, chemical, household products, automotive and other industries. For more information on NEM, visit their website at www.neminc.com.