There is a true disconnect bubbling up between employee/employer expectations. Companies are struggling to hire, and people are walking off job sites at an all-time high. 51% of small businesses are unable to fill job openings. It’s a highly competitive market out there. With many positions turning remote, applicants are more flexible and can choose roles that challenge them and give them purpose. Gone are the days of working tirelessly for an employer without any real satisfaction. Through multiple recessions and gig-worker mentalities, these recent generations have learned to hustle, and they will leave an organization if they feel under-appreciated, underpaid, or overworked. These days, a job isn’t just a job. It’s a large portion of life, and people want to be happy doing it.
To attract and retain top talent, companies need to understand what guides their employees. Right now, one of the largest driving factors for employees to accept a job is doing something with a sense of purpose. So, you need to provide a unique opportunity that stands out from the rest when seeking candidates. What sets your business apart? Workers want to be proud of where they work, and know that their role is respected and important in that larger vision.
Hiring is especially challenging for startups. Roles aren’t typically well defined, people wear many hats, and perfection takes a back seat to speed and growth. Salaries also tends to be lower, so you’ll need to entice potential candidates with your vision, company culture, and perks.
The startup phase is an exhausting experience filled with constant change, uncertainty, high execution, and long hours. So, select a core team that you want on the ride. Below are a few ways to hire and retain employees that will keep your business moving along efficiently.
Execution is Key
If you’re planning on seeking funding from a VC, you’ll need a solid core team that’s adaptable to change. When establishing your first hires, understand that this is a phase that you’ll hopefully grow out of if you assemble the right ones. Hire executors and problem solvers that are dedicated to the vision you have laid out. Find individuals that are comfortable in resolving conflict when it arises. Don’t make the mistake of hiring overly-qualified individuals who are accustomed to managerial roles and not used to getting their hands dirty. Although their previous titles might sound enticing, do they really have the startup skillsets you need right now? Or are they a great candidate for a role in the future? Hire executors that will exceed your expectations on a daily basis. When challenges arise, they creatively think through solutions instead of throwing their hands up in defeat.
Hire people who are:
- Team players with great collaboration skills
- High achievers that are task oriented
- Doers and not sayers
- Agile and comfortable with business pivots
- Enthusiastically passionate about what you’re building
Applicants should not only have the right resume and background, but the hunger, skills, and willingness to grind. In order to keep those employees satisfied and avoid burnout, you will need to convince them that they are part of something special.
Selling the Vision
To persuade top-notch talent, you need to have candidates accept your vision. Exceptional founders are extremely persuasive. But it still takes practice, planning, and pitches to really understand what drives others, especially candidates that you want to hire.
Write job descriptions that are personal and will resonate with a lifestyle that you are trying to build at your business. What sets this opportunity apart from other open positions? Why is it the right choice for them to accept the role?
Highlight to applicants your:
- Mission/vision
- Company culture
- Workplace perks
- Retention strategies
- Growth plans
Although selling the vision is important, you must also entirely understand your hiring needs to effectively fill skills gaps in your team.
Interview Process
Once you’ve found a few interesting candidates, structure your interview process so that it is successful in answering the right questions. Understand the knowledge gaps that your team currently has and determine which candidates plug those holes. One recommendation is to ask every person the same questions so that you are able to prioritize what you need over nice-to-have qualities. With strict guidelines, you will be able to access each candidate efficiently and manage confirmation biases.
Interview Tips:
- Hire slow, fire fast
- Give pre-interview assignments
- Differentiate must-have qualities
- Identify knowledge gaps
- Hire on areas of weakness
Proper Training
No one enjoys taking a job and then feeling like they are left to their own devices. And just because you’re a startup, doesn’t mean you can skip the onboarding process. Prepare new hire documents, policies, training sessions, and meet and greets with fellow employees. Welcome them into the culture you have built. Because if there is no type of structure, new hires will feel directionless. This could lead to poor work output, unreasonable expectations, and communication issues down the line.
A great first step for a new employee is to start them on a small project and slowly expand your expectations. You don’t immediately want new hires to feel overwhelmed and underwater in the first week. Get to learn about how they work independently and on a team, what their ability to adapt is, and how they handle high-pressure situations. Startups have a high burnout rate, and knowing when that is for your employees is important.
Assessments
What you need from your employees is constantly evolving. What you needed six months ago might not be relevant now. Make sure you are assessing and reevaluating roles on a quarterly basis. You need to keep your workforce efficient and on task, but hungry for future responsibilities. Also, with routine assessments, you might even find that an upcoming role is a better fit for a current employee. Don’t feel bad about firing or rearranging roles. Or even reevaluating a position and rewriting what it should be. Sometimes what you think you need in a role doesn’t pan out. But do your best to hire who you need at that exact moment. Those people might not be relevant six months from now. It’s the hard truth. Some will rise to the occasion, while others will not. That’s just the name of the startup game.
Assessment Tips:
- Daily/weekly check-ins with manager
- Celebrating milestones
- Rewarding successes
- Understanding what drives each employee