Whether you are replacing a current position or you need additional staff, hiring can be labor-intensive. Most small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs) don’t have the time to craft an effective job ad, post to job sites or sift through resumes to find the best candidates. Learn how to develop an effective hiring process that helps you build the best team for your small or mid-sized business.
In this deck, we will cover:
An overview of effective recruiting, interviewing and hiring techniques
Assessing staffing needs and crafting an effective job ad
Considerations for hiring interns, minors, and seasonal workers
Recruiting trends and tips for finding top talent
Red flags when using social media
“Ban the box” legislation trends
Qualifying candidates and finding the right fit
Conducting job-related background checks
Time-saving tools and techniques for busy employers
2. #hiretowin
Introductions
Keith Gilman, FPC
Division Vice President
Jean Olivieri
Vice President of Marketing
Keith is Division Vice President for
the First Year Associate Experience
Program for Small Business Services
at ADP.
Jean is the Vice President of
Marketing for Small Business
Services at ADP.
Hello everyone! We are thrilled to introduce today’s webcast titled, “Recruiting and Hiring: Tips and Trends for Attracting Top Candidates. We’re excited all of you could join us. We’ll start by going over a few housekeeping items and then we’ll get started.
Keith
My name is Keith Gilman, Division Vice President for the First Year Associate Experience Program. And with me today is Jean Olivieri who is the VP of Marketing for ADP’s Small Business Services group.
Keith
Please take a moment to view our disclaimer, which is intended to inform you that the information contained in this webcast provides a high level overview and practical information concerning the subject matter covered. It’s provided with the understanding that neither the writers nor the presenters are rendering legal advice or other professional services.
Keith
We see there is a unique mix of HR professionals and non-HR professionals, such as department managers who may be involved in the recruitment/hiring process and recruiters who have varying levels of experience with us today. This is great to see since this content was developed for hiring managers and talent professionals who work in small to mid-sized businesses. In this session, you will gain fundamental to advanced information related to hiring for your small to mid-sized businesses, including: [go through agenda]
Effective recruiting, interviewing and hiring techniques.
How to assess staffing needs and craft an effective job ad
Considerations for hiring interns, minors, and seasonal workers.
Online job postings and social media
Trends in “ban the box” legislation
Qualifying candidates and finding the right fit
Conducting job-related background checks
Keith
So, I don’t think it’s a surprise that 46% of companies say that recruiting highly-skilled talent is the most important area of interest for their organization. This may be especially true for small to mid-sized businesses where every player makes a noticeable impact on the company’s success.. But, these business have it tough. There’s tons of competition especially with brand named companies who may have an easier time attracting and hiring talent as they have more resources, budget, and a brand name that people are familiar with.
KeithBut, what’s interesting is that according to ADP’s National Employment Report, hiring has been on the rise over the last year. The ADP report, derived from ADP’s actual payroll data, measures the change in private jobs each month. According to this report, 189,000 private sector jobs were created in March alone.
Additionally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported that the unemployment rate continues to drop.
Keith
Of those 189,000 jobs created in March, 57% were created by small businesses.
This is great for the market and our economy but what do this mean to you? It may mean that the competition is getting fierce. “How will your business compete in the marketplace while staying compliant with employment laws?” We’ll go through the steps and tips to help you answer this question.
Keith
So, how do you go about finding the talent you need?
When beginning the hiring process, you should ask yourself these questions.
Who do you need to hire?
What does this person need to do?
How will you find top talent?
How will you identify qualified candidates?
Are you prepared to conduct interviews?
What is your selection process?
What are the next steps?
Kick back to Jean
Jean
As we discussed on the previous slide, there are many different types of hires to consider.
Interns and seasonal workers can actual be a great fit for summer employment and with summer approaching you may begin to get a lot of students and other seasonal workers looking for jobs.
I know a lot of small business owners with seasonal restaurants who are dealing with this right now.
So we will start with those so you can begin to assess which type of hire will best fit your needs. And go deeper on all the types in the next few slides.
Jean
The first type we will review is interns.
Internships can be a great tool to help students gain work experience in their field of study and allow businesses access to a motivated and eager applicant pool.
They can be especially good if you need help in a certain area where you don’t have expertise. A good example is if you need to build a website and you don’t know how and don’t want to pay a vendor.
An intern in this field can help you and help them with valuable work experience in their field.
They can also a great way to find talent for future offerings after the intern graduates.
Using interns may seem like a good way to cut labor costs, but it’s important to realize that most interns are entitled to at least the minimum wage per hour and overtime when applicable.
If you think you may be interested in an internship program , you can leverage the Department of Labor summer jobs bank at the address listed on the screen to connect your business with interns and other youth seeking summer work.
LinkedIn also has programs that allow you to connect with students or graduates.
Many SMBs are using Student Job programs use LinkedIn’s Student portal to help connect students or graduates to employers (https://www.linkedin.com/studentjobs)
[Keith to jump in]
Jean
A question we typically get asked is “can interns be unpaid”
They answer is usually not.
There is a six part test from the dep’t of labor to determine whether or not an intern gets paid.
First, the internship program needs to be similar to academic training.
Meaning that it should be structured around a classroom or academic experience versus the employer's operations.
To help satisfy this requirement, employers typically work closely with a university that provides oversight to the program and offers college credit.
Second, the internship must be for the benefit of the intern. It should provide skills that can be used in multiple work settings.
Third, employers cannot use unpaid interns as substitutes for regular workers or to supplement their existing workforce.
Fourth, the employer gets no immediate advantage, and, on occasion, operations may be impeded. Any work done by an unpaid intern should be insubstantial in nature and secondary to the training process.
Fifth, both parties must understand that the intern is not necessarily entitled to a job at the end of the internship.
And finally, both parties understand that the intern is not entitled to pay.
The reality is, very few internships will meet all of these criteria, Which you can learn more about at the address on the screen.
Evaluate each situation on a case-by-case basis and when in doubt, pay interns at least the minimum wage and overtime when due.
Also, keep in mind that many of the employment laws that apply to regular employees, apply to paid interns and in some cases, unpaid interns, as well.
Jean
Another type of hire are seasonal workers and temps.
These are typically pretty popular during the summer months as many of you who are seasonal begin to ramp up hiring for the busy season.
A few things to consider.
First, now is the time to start the process.
Being early to the game will ensure that you have access to a large talent pool.
If you start too late, other companies will have first pick of the seasonal workforce.
Starting early can also ensure you have enough time to train them before demand picks up.
Keep in mind that seasonal workers are protected by employment laws and are generally entitled to the same rights and benefits as employees.
Jean
Minors are another category of hires.
In the summer months you may receive more applications from minors for seasonal positions.
Enterprising teenagers can gain valuable experience and bring new ideas to many roles. Examples include administrative or database work in a corporate environment to the more traditional outdoor positions, like the lifeguard shown here, or at resort and restaurants.
However, keep in mind that …
There are FLSA regulations regarding the hours minors can work.
In the summer months, the FLSA allows minors 14 and 15-year olds to work between the hours of 7am and 9pm.
Minors can work up to 8 hours a day or up to 40 hours a week in the summer.
During the school year, there are stricter rules on work hours during the school year.
And, your state law may have additional restrictions.
So check with your state for additional information.
Jean
Minors under 18 are prohibited from performing hazardous work.
And many of you may be in industries where this type of work is performed like construction for example or even restaurants.
According to the FLSA, these includes excavation, mining, manufacturing explosives, driving a motor vehicle, and operating power equipment.
To be safe, You should also check your state law for additional restrictions and more on the link we have listed here.
You can visit the site we’ve listed here for more information child labor laws: http://www.youthrules.dol.gov/know-the-limits/14-15.htm
Jean
The last category to discuss is full and part time workers.
These workers both fill a long-term need with your company.
Your decision on full or part-time comes into play as you are evaluating your needs of the positon.
If you have a long-term need but only for a few days per week or hours per day, then a part-time arrangement might be a good option.
Typically, part-timers are provided with benefits on a pro-rated basis, which can help keep labor costs down.
Obviously, full-timers are best when workload consistently requires a 40 or so hour workweek.
Keep in mind under certain laws, like the Affordable Care Act, full-time is defined as employees who work 30 or more hours per week.
Carefully evaluate the position to determine if you need someone on a full-time or part-time basis. Once you’ve done so, it’s important to determine their responsibilities, which we will discuss further in the coming slides.
I’ll turn things back over to Keith to discuss Step Two.
Keith
It may help to start by developing a job description. The benefits of job descriptions extend beyond the hiring process. They can help you classify roles as exempt or non-exempt, develop pay ranges, and can clarify responsibilities for new hires.
Common components of job descriptions are shown here:
There’s the job Summary, followed by essential functions or job accountabilities. This is the heart of your job description, essentially, it outlines why the position exists. Also include necessary experience, education, certifications and skills.
All of this information will ultimately form the basis for your job posting.
There are a lot of resources out there that can help you. For example, ADP has a job description wizard with hundreds of available job descriptions to help you create a customized job description.
(NOTE ANIMATION) And for additional tips and tricks, download LinkedIn's 7 Tricks for an Irresistible Job Description here.
Keith
If your job ad includes the right information, it can help to attract candidates with the qualifications you’re looking for.
Start with a brief description of the company and the role.
List required qualifications as well as salary range, which may help to limit the applicant pool. Or, ask applicants to submit their salary requirements when they apply.
If applicable, you may also want to include post-offer requirements, such as drug screens or criminal background checks.
And finally, an equal employment opportunity statement helps to demonstrate that you do not discriminate on the basis of any characteristics that are protected by law.
On the next slide, we’ll look at an example that incorporates all of these components.
Keith
Here are two small businesses in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, both are looking for an Administrative Assistant.
You’ll see Sally’s ad is well-written. It’s pretty easy to read with a list of key responsibilities and a summary of the position and the company. From a candidate’s perspective, there’s a lot of information here that can help them decide whether to apply. She mentioned that the position is full-time, where it’s located, and even the salary range. She also listed company perks, such as health insurance and paid time off.
Chip’s Bakery, on the other hand, didn’t do as well writing their job ad. While they indicated that the position was part time, they forgot to mention the hours, location or salary range. There's no information about benefits or the company itself. Also, some of the information Chip mentioned may be prohibited by law.
Hopefully this helps illustrate the points you should include in your job ad – and those you should leave out.
Keith
According to a recent survey by LinkedIn, 45% of companies said their biggest obstacles to attracting the best talent in 2014 were competition and compensation.
Find ways to differentiate your company and be strategic about your recruiting efforts
Keith
Your recruiting strategy should depend, in part, on the type of candidate you’re looking for. Many of you have probably heard that millennials will make up a large part of the workforce in the coming years.
According to a recent study by Pricewaterhouse Coopers, the millennial generation is a digital generation, with 41% of those questioned saying they would rather communicate electronically than face-to-face or over the phone. Use technology to reach the full talent pool. Consider what is attractive to the various generations when staying competitive. And remember, it’s not all about money. The Pricewaterhouse Coopers study also revealed that 52% of millennials said opportunities for career progression was what made an employer most attractive.
[Keith to add commentary]
To cast a wide net and attract the talent you’re looking for, make sure you adjust your strategy accordingly.
[Kick back to Jean]
Jean
Thanks Keith.
So, how are businesses finding candidates?
According to the poll we just conducted, many of you are using ____________________ to find your candidates
According to a recent report by LinkedIn, 74% of businesses are using internet job boards to find the candidate they are looking for.
Some of the other top sources include a company’s own website and social networking.
We’ll discuss these options as well as a few others on the next few slides.
Jean
Let’s start with internal candidates.
Don’t forget to look within.
You’re one step ahead of the game, since you’re already familiar with an internal candidate’s performance.
Also, internal transfers or promotions can boost morale and keep your recruiting costs at manageable levels.
There are two things to keep in mind here.
First, even internal candidates should still be put through a formal hiring process to ensure responsibilities are communicated clearly and that it is the right fit for the employee and employer.
Also, when an existing employee is promoted into a new position, a vacancy is created, which will most likely force you to seek external talent for that replacement albeit at a lower-level.
Jean
Another popular method of attracting candidates is through employee referrals.
With these programs, current employees are encouraged to recommend open positions to qualified people they know.
If a successful hire is made, the referring employee typically receives some sort of reward, such as a cash bonus.
Most companies require the referred employee to successfully complete a certain length of service before the award is paid out.
If you choose to implement this type of program, please remember to clearly spell out the rules and guidelines in a written policy.
Jean
Another method for keeping recruiting costs down is to go back to applications you have on file.
Have you ever met with a candidate who want a great fit, but you wished you had a role for them?
When you have an open position, refer back to these types of candidates.
You may find an applicant who wasn't right before is a great fit now.
This just happened to me.
I had interviewed someone who I liked a lot but was too junior for the role I was hiring for.
As I began to build out new roles on my team, I went to him and encouraged him to apply.
I just made an offer this week!
This obviously cuts down on recruiting costs and the work involved in finding a great candidate.
Jean
Many schools operate internship programs through their career offices.
They also help students ready to graduate find jobs in their field.
Contact college career centers and register with them.
Getting registered can provide access to a pool of motivated talent.
Back when I started in sales with ADP over 20 years ago, we hired an intern who was just amazing.
He was high-energy and smart and I remember thinking to myself, this guy is going to be great here.
And he was. That intern is now our senior VP of sales in our small business group.
If you think you may be interested in tapping into this type of talent, you can use tools like the LinkedIn Student Job programs to help connect students or graduates to employers . The link for that program is shown above. (https://www.linkedin.com/studentjobs)
Jean
Don’t forget to tap into your own professional network as well.
Use your contacts to tap into candidates who may not be actively looking on job boards but may make a change for the right opportunity.
This can be a cost-effective recruiting option that helps reach a diverse group of talented candidates.
more and more companies are using social media sites, such as LinkedIn, to reach out to their professional network.
Using these types of networking tools can generate great leads for candidates that would be a good fit for your open position.
Jean
As we saw earlier, online postings are the most widely used recruiting method.
Job boards, like LinkedIn, can be affordable and allow you to reach a broad audience quickly.
They also lack the space constraints of print ads.
They allow you to cast a wide net since you can reach a large number of candidates with a few simple clicks.
for example, posting on LinkedIn which has over 347 MILLION members may be a good place to start or you can cast a wider net by using multiple job boards.
These also give you the ability to reach “passive” candidates who aren’t actively looking, but may be interested in the right opportunity.
The downside of this method is that you may be inundated with resumes that don’t meet your requirements.
We’ll go over some tips for weeding through all these applicants a little later.
Jean
Since many of you will likely post jobs online, let’s go over a few tips.
Experiment with key words. Use titles and keywords widely known in the field or industry that candidates may be searching on.
Get to the point. Candidates often skim job postings for things that meet their needs.
Take the opportunity to sell your company.
Develop a career page in advance that lists available positions and gives an overview of the benefits you offer.
This is your chance to sell candidates on your culture and why it’s so great to work for you.
This is an important part of staying competitive in the market.
And finally, learn about the features of the site you’re using. Many job posting websites have tools that will help you in your recruiting process.
For example, ADP Hiring powered by GetHired.com streamlines the hiring process, by posting your openings to multiple sites with a few clicks.
Jean
We’ve talked a lot about online postings and using professional social media networks to find candidates.
There are a lot of legal considerations when using this channel.
From the basics of recruiting to the more complicated nuances of screening and selection - How do you go about using social media responsibly and in compliance with the law.
For instance, some states protect workers from discrimination based on legal off-duty conduct, such as smoking or the consumption of alcohol, which may be revealed in social media. Protected characteristics, such as race, age, religion, and disability, can easily be revealed online. Also, information you find about a candidate online may not be accurate. Know that using social media in hiring can have pitfalls, so consider these tips:
Develop a policy and protocol on social media in hiring. Be sure to spell who is authorized to conduct social media searches and at what stage in the hiring process. This person should be different than the person making the hiring decision and should be provided with specific job-related criteria for conducting searches on a consistent basis. If you use a 3rd party to conduct these searches, be sure to comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act and all applicable laws.
A growing number of states have passed laws that prohibit employers from requiring applicants or employees to provide them with access to their personal social media accounts. Even if your state doesn’t expressly ban it, it is never a good idea to ask for passwords and access to accounts.
Okay, with that, Keith will walk you through Step Four.
Keith
According to a recent CareerBuilder Survey, nearly 7 out of 10 businesses are affected by a bad hire. This really underscores the importance of making the right decision.
It can be overwhelming to sift through resumes, cover letters, all the information applicants submit. But, if you establish a clearly defined screening process, you can help narrow the applicant pool and determine who is qualified. Depending on the role, this may involve pre-screening questions and reviewing resumes and application forms.
Keith
Pre-screening questions give you an opportunity to ask candidates job-related questions prior to an interview. Their responses can help you better assess whether they have the necessary qualifications.For example, if you’re hiring an accountant or financial expert you may ask them to solve a math problem to assess necessary skills.
If you use pre-screening questions, use the same questions for all applicants applying for the same role. This helps to ensure each applicant is evaluated with the same criteria. Be mindful of nondiscrimination laws when designing and using pre-screening questions.
Keith
Resumes are another way to determine whether candidates meet the minimum qualifications. If someone doesn’t have the experience or education required, you can easily eliminate them. But, keep in mind that a resume allows applicants to provide information in a format and style of their choice. So this usually means they’re providing information that they want to share. That's why resumes should always be used in conjunction with an employment application and other pre-screening tools.
Keith
Have candidates complete an application form to verify information on their resume and provide additional details the applicant may have left out. Look closely at their employment history for information about tenure and reasons for leaving previous jobs. The application should also ask about education as well as professional designations & licenses.
Other components of an application form are shown on this slide.
Keith
“Ban the box” laws prohibit employers from asking criminal history questions on job applications. Note that some states and local jurisdictions also prohibit employers from asking these types of questions until after an initial interview or a conditional job offer.
Ban the box legislation has gained momentum in recent years. Even if you’re not in a state or jurisdiction that currently has a ban the box law, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recommends employers avoid asking about criminal history on employment applications, and it’s a best practice to do so.
And now I’ll hand things back over to Jean to discuss Step Five.
Jean
At this point, you’ve reviewed resumes and applications.
Now the question is, are you prepared to conduct interviews.
Many hiring managers are not trained on the types of questions they should ask and which to avoid.
In this section we will review some interviewing tips. Let’s start with phone interviews.
A lot of times, employers will conduct phone interviews before deciding whether to bring an applicant in for an in-person meeting.
Phone interviews are generally used to help decide whether of not to have an in person meeting.
They are relatively short, 15 minutes to a half hour, and should focus on clarifying some of the questions you might have after reviewing the candidate’s resume or application form.
Keep in mind that this may be the applicant’s first point of contact with the company and first impressions are important. Express interest, be enthusiastic, and thank them for taking the time to speak with you.
The next step from here is usually an in person meeting.
Jean
Some employers are starting to conducti video interviews.
Virtual interviews are typically used when there are geographic limitations that prevent the candidate from traveling to your location early in the process.
When conducting video interviews:
Be prepared. Test the technology you’re using in advance, have the room ready, and your questions and their resume printed out.
Be mindful of your body language. Remember, because the candidate can see you, it’s important that you’re conscious of your professional appearance.
Like any other stage of the process, be mindful of equal employment opportunity laws. All hiring decisions must be job-related and not take into account protected class information.
Jean
Preparing a list of questions in advance can help to ensure that you get the type of information you need.
You should ask All candidates for a particular job the same core set of questions.
This allows you to make comparisons among applicants and ensure all candidates are treated fairly.
When developing a list of questions:
Make sure they are “open-ended”. Don’t ask question like =- have you executed digital marketing campaigns.
Instead, ask, “What were the measurable results from the digital campaign you designed”.
In other words, avoid questions where the candidate can simply answer yes or no.
Use situational or “behavior-based” questions that provide an example of past behavior, such as “Tell me about a time that you lead a team to complete a project.”
Consider problem solving questions to see how the candidate would respond in real-life situations.
And finally, avoid questions that may reveal information that is protected under law.
Jean
And here are other examples of open-ended questions.
(NOTE ANIMATION)
Achievements
Judgment & prioritization
Jean
When interviewing, it’s important to know what questions you should ask as well as questions you should avoid
Even seemingly harmless questions could reveal an applicant’s religion, national origin, or other information that is protected under nondiscrimination laws.
It’s ok to ask questions that elicit job-related information, ability to perform essential functions of the job, or meet certain requirements. But you need to be careful about not only what you’re asking but how.
Avoid any questions that have the potential to reveal a candidate’s age. Beyond the obvious, “how old are you?” you should also avoid asking for a candidate’s date of birth or the year they graduated high school. If there are minimum age requirements for the job, ask if the candidate meets that minimum age requirement. [Add example of bartender begin 21 or older]
Criminal history is another area you should use caution, as we mentioned when we discussed employment applications. Some laws require you to wait until after making a conditional offer before asking about criminal history.
Avoid questions that have the potential to reveal national origin, such as where were you born, or where did you grow up? Instead, your application form should confirm that a candidate is legally authorized wo work in the United States. And candidates should fill out an application form before the interview.
Avoid asking what religion an applicant practices or if they’re available to work on say, Sundays. Rather, state the regular hours, days or shifts that are required of this position and ask if the candidate is able to work that schedule.
Jean
In addition, avoid asking questions about an applicants credit history, potential pregnancy, or medical condition.
Jean
Let’s take a look at a few tips for conducting the interview.
Thank the candidates for coming in and let them do most of the talking.
Give them time to answer as thoroughly as they can. Ask follow-up questions when necessary and take notes so that you can recall your discussion later on.
Once you’ve gotten the information you need, give the applicant a chance to ask you questions.
A good candidate is also evaluating you and your company, to see if it is worth coming to work for you.
These candidates will ask thoughtful questions to really determine whether the job is right for them.
Close the interview by setting follow-up expectations. Let them know next steps such as follow up interviews or how long before you will reach out with the outcome.
Following the interview, speak with everyone who interacted with the applicant to get their thoughts to make sure everyone working with the candidate feels they would do a good job.
(NOTE ANIMATION)
For more details on the steps we discussed, you can also download LInkedIn’s Ultimate Hiring Toolbox For Small & Medium Businesses.
Keith
Compare and rank candidates using your interview notes and summary forms and gather feedback from other people who interacted with the applicant.
Make sure your decision is based on job-related reasons, not just a “gut feeling”. Tools such as job descriptions, resumes, interview notes, and ranking sheets should be used to support your hiring decision.
Document your hiring decisions and keep records showing why applicants were either hired or rejected. Make sure the documentation is factual, specific, and job-related.
Keith
Typically job offers are made verbally, and then followed up with a written offer outlining pay, benefits, and other aspects of the employment relationship.
Here is a sample written offer for an administrative assistant. You’ll see that we bolded some of the key components of the offer.
Start date, job title, pay, supervisor and schedule are listed. If, by nature of your business, the work schedule is likely to change from day to day or week to week, simply indicate that the individual is expected to meet the work schedule provided by their supervisor.
Provide a brief summary of benefits, but always tell candidates to refer to your full benefit’s policy for more details on the specifics. Reserve the right to change, modify or cancel company provided benefits at any time.
This offer is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. If you plan to conduct job-related background checks, they should be done after making a conditional offer.
Avoid any statements that imply a contract of employment and reiterate that either you or the employee can terminate the relationship at any time for any reason.
At the bottom of the letter leave a space for the candidate to sign and accept the terms of the offer.
Keith
Let’s start with reference checks. References can confirm past and present employment history, work habits, attendance, pay, responsibilities, and eligibility for rehire.
Before checking references, obtain the candidate’s written consent. Ask them to sign a form authorizing their former employer to disclose job-related information to your company.
Many employers use reference checks to verify information provided in employment applications, resumes, and interviews. For instance, they may confirm dates of employment, positions held, and salary. Most employers are willing to disclose this type of information, but may be less inclined to provide information on performance or conduct-related issues.
It’s best to contact a reference directly via phone, even if a candidate provides a letter of recommendation from that person. The references you use should generally be professional contacts, ideally from previous employers or someone who has directly supervised the employee.
During the conversation, it’s possible a former employer may inadvertently disclose information that may be irrelevant (for example, the individual's age, national origin, or family status). In these cases, the information must not be used when making your hiring decision.
Keith
Where appropriate some companies conduct job-related background checks.
The use of criminal records must be job related and consistent with business necessity.
Candidates subject to background investigations must provide their authorization and consent. Your screening provider should give you the appropriate form to provide to applicants. Work closely with them throughout this process to ensure you follow appropriate procedures under the Fair Credit Reporting Act and other related laws, including adverse action procedures.
Also, follow the EEOC's Enforcement Guidance from April 2012 The guidance says an employer cannot simply disregard any applicant who has been convicted of a crime. Instead, you need to show how the specific criminal conduct, and its dangers, presents a risk and consider a number of factors, like:
the circumstances surrounding the offense;
employment history before and after the offense;
their rehabilitation efforts; and
employment and character references
[Back to Jean]
Jean
It’s now time to confirm your offer and be prepared to complete necessary paperwork.
A relatively new obligation for employers that came from the Affordable Care Act is the Model Notice of Coverage Options which must be given to all new hires.
The purpose of the Notice is to inform employees of the availability of health care coverage through the health care marketplace.
You must also have the applicant complete an I-9 Form to verify that they’re authorized to work in the United States as well as a W-4 to determine how much federal income tax to withhold from their pay.
Some states also require a tax withholding form and requirements. There are many resources to help with this, ADP has resources you can use or you can check with your state.
In addition, we’ve listed several other suggested forms that you may want to include with your new hire, including emergency contacts, handbook acknowledgment, receipt of any company property, payroll authorization, and benefits enrollment.
Jean
When it comes to hiring, there’s a lot to think about.
Start by deciding what type of employee you need then determine the skills and responsibilities.
Develop a recruiting strategy, establish a selection process, and always make your decision based on job-related criteria.
To close out the process, develop an effective onboarding program and retain records according to federal, state and local laws.
We hope you enjoyed today’s webinar and at this point, we would like to open it up for any questions.
Jean
How does temp-to hire work? If at the end of the temporary period, and I do not choose to hire the person, am I subject to paying out unemployment?
Temp to hire is when an employee is hired for a temporary assignment that can then lead to a full-time job, depending on the company’s needs. Once a temporary assignment ends, the employee may be eligible for unemployment. Eligibility for unemployment varies by state, but typically the employee must meet the minimum requirements for wages earned or time worked within a specified period, referred to as a "base period". The person filing a claim must also be able and available to work in order in order to be eligible. Check your state law for specific eligibility requirements.
Are we able to do a working interview without pay?
This is a great question and we actually covered this in our last webcast on Wage and Hour laws. Some employers use working interviews to assess whether the candidate has the skills to perform the job. Typically a candidate who performs a working interview is protected by relevant employment laws, entitled to at least the minimum wage per hour, and subject to income tax withholding.
How does an employer determine if an applicant is a good fit for the position and culture and if he/she is committed for the long run? The industry has a 70 - 80 percent turnover rate.
Turnover can be a problem in any industry and I think many companies struggle with this. Start by looking at your overall compensation package. Is it competitive? Is there anything else you can offer to make your company more attractive? Like more vacation time or better hours perhaps? Then, evaluate your hiring process to make sure you’re getting as much job-related information about the candidate as possible. Use behavioral questions to better understand how an applicant would perform on the job and consider other options, like a working interview.
I’ll hand it back over to Keith to field a few more questions.
Keith
We’re actually going to take the next two questions together. The first is; We are a startup company, so finding highly qualified talent within our budget has caused us some road blocks. What do you feel would be the best hiring/recruiting practices to use? And the second; How do small businesses recruit and attract talent when big businesses have deeper pockets and can afford higher wages and benefits?
With hiring on the rise and unemployment rates down, more companies are finding it difficult to find the talent they need. If you’re having difficulty finding the candidates you need due to the budget constraints, remember applicants evaluate a lot of factors when determining whether they want to work for a particular company. Can you offer a better vacation package, or flexible work hours? What about other benefits such as shares in the company, free lunches, or gym memberships? Also, be open with a candidate. There are definite pros to working for your company as opposed to the next big business you may be competing with – capitalize on those. Startup companies are often uniquely positions with flexibility and a personalized approach that big businesses might not be able to offer. Remember that these things can sweeten the deal when you simply can’t pay the dollar figure your competition is paying.
It takes time to get to know a new employee. What time frame is appropriate to determine if a new hire is a good fit? Can I inform a new employee that he/she is being hired with the condition that they are a good fit to the company and will be let go if it’s determined he/she is not?
Almost all states recognize at-will status - meaning both the employer and employee can terminate the relationship at any time as long as the reason is lawful. There is no magic amount of time for determining whether a new hire is a good fit. Factors like the type of job, training required and previous experience may impact how quickly you can make this assessment. However, if you determine that the employee isn’t meeting expectations, whether newly hired or tenured with the company, put them on a performance improvement plan. Establish clear goals, determine if further training is necessary and give them a timeframe to improve. Conduct follow up meetings to evaluate progress and necessary next steps. The cost of replacing an employee can be high and sometimes an employee just needs additional training or to be made aware of areas that need improvement.
Keith
Thank you again for attending today’s webcast – we hope you found the information helpful. Just a reminder, to download the eBook available in the resources section. Your feedback is very valuable to us. We ask that you spend a few moments completing our survey, which is available on the next slide. Thank you again!
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