Build a Winning Process for Recruiting, Hiring and Onboarding Employees

by Frank Borque, Certified Consultant

Let’s face it, if you build a winning team, you will stand out in your market and attract more of everything you’re looking for including work, great employees and great clients.

However, in order to stand out, you have to provide a memorable experience. Average won’t cut it. Your brand and impactful first contacts with people and potential employees are crucial. It starts with being ready to impress and set-up for success. This requires a clear, repeatable process and system.

Here are 6 Steps to create a winning process:

1. Start Attracting More Candidates

Research shows that candidates trust companies 3 times more if the employer provides transparency of the working environment and work conditions. Exposing your professional brand on different platforms using video is one of the greatest ways. Job posts accompanied by a recruiting video get 36% more applications.

Be visible

• Be visible on social media, your website, in the community, etc

• Invest in marketing for recruiting employees as you do for clients

• Seek social opportunities to meet new potential candidates

• Be a destination company with great team culture

• Make it an opportunity, not a job.

• Promote strategically using right timing when and/or ABH (use the always be hiring strategy)

Identify Hiring Options and Solutions for Finding Employees

• Job & career postings – i.e. Indeed.com

• Career days

• Office tours

• Create a referral and incentive program

• Reach out to people and use video interviews

• Use social media ads

• Trade Shows - get a booth, host a free lunch for landscape tech students

• Create or join partnership with trade schools, associations, organizations, sports teams, churches, Helmets to Hardhats Programs

• Use a recruiting agency and/or head hunters

• H-2B

Create Your Onboarding Plan and Use It as Part of Your Marketing Strategy

• More training time investment during the initial days

• Clear expectations & job descriptions

• Offer Support (be reassuring, helpful and check-in with the new employee regularly and as needed)

• Mentorship program

• Ice breakers

• Gamifications & incentive programs

• Technical training

• Equipment and software training

• Career planning

2. Get Efficient with Processing Employee Inquiries

When a potential employee enquires about a job at your company this may happen through email, phone call, your website, a dedicated promotional web page, job posting ads or etc. You can increase your chances of attracting and retaining potential candidates by treating your recruiting process like you do your jobs (with a clear plan and efficient process). Respond promptly and efficiently.

Great employees are attracted to companies that demonstrate timely organization in the hiring process.

The following steps can help you create this experience:

1. Send them to your website (provide a web link) to fill out an application

• Respond to application by phone within that work day

• Explain the Profile Assessment (such as DISC or Predictive Index).

• Immediately send out the profiling assessment

• Do a quick assessment of the profile once returned (for compatibility)

2. Check social media for any red flags

3. Read over application and resume to ensure character

4. Stable Job history

5. Identify your core requirements (i.e., reliability, honesty, team player, teachable, dedication) and check with references.

3 . Create an Interview Process

1. Immediately upon receiving the profile assessment (i.e. DISC Profile or the Predictive Index Assessment etc), email the applicant using the Employee Pre- Interview Email Template.

2. Call to ensure they received the email and to confirm the date works

• Reschedule for a new date if there is a conflict

3. Conduct Interview using the Interview Form

If the interview goes well:

• Give them a quick tour of the shop and yard.

• Let them know that we are interviewing multiple candidates.

• “We will be in touch within 48 hours.”

If the candidate is not the right fit:

• Tell them that you are interviewing multiple candidates and we will let them know IF we will be moving forward with them

• Email a “Rejection Letter”

4. Writing the Job Offer/Package

This offer must include:

• Clear job instructions

• Unique company or job opportunity details

• Clear pay details

This offer could include:

• Paid Time Off

• Sick Days (or could come directly out of PTO)

• Paid Holidays

• Health Benefits

• Retirement Package (i.e. matching IRA by 1-3% of employees salary) Upon Hiring

• Once hired, the employee is sent the new employee welcome package (forms to complete)

• Start date is confirmed with employee and ensure all information needed from the Welcome Package is returned or received prior to the first day of employment and review all forms for correct and complete information.

• Add employee to:

1. Payroll

2. Any software or technology used by employee or relevant to the position (i.e., LMN, Aspire, BossLM, Service Autopilot etc)

3. Safety programs subscription and/or program (i.e. Greenius)

4. Company portal or shared drive - Employee Directory

5. IRA

6. Healthcare plan

7. Physical File

8. Mailbox

9. Insurance Auto Policy

10. Uniform items (i.e. shirts, polos / gloves, etc.) will be prepared for their first day of employment