How many times have you had an employee relinquish and then instantaneously feel fraught to fill the gap that was just vacated? Unfortunately, it's an all too common incidence in today's workplace. Recruiting ? no matter how fast or cost-effective ? does you no good if the employees hired don't stay for long.



The scarcest commodity in business is not customers or technology capital. It's people. More and more companies simply can't recruit great people fast enough. This talent shortage is their biggest obstacle to growth; solving it is their biggest strategic priority. You can call it right hiring. If you want to keep yourself on the rise you have to keep hiring. The real challenge isn't finding people. It's finding the right people and turning them into topflight contributors -- rapidly. There are a number of things you can do to help you to get through the times while hiring a replacement but there is also the hazards of hiring just about anyone that walks through the door just to get the job filled. Don't do this! Take the time necessary to hire the right person for the job. The actual cost of turnover is much greater than most employers realize so the first line of defense should always be to make every effort to retain your current employee, assuming he/she was performing their duties at an acceptable level.

Make sure that your other employees are aware of the job opening. Referrals from current employees usually are better candidates than cold prospects coming through the door. If the position is above entry level, look at your current employees and determine if one of them would be a good applicant for promotion. It's much easier to fill entry-level jobs. Be sure to use some type of general IQ or aptitude test. There is enormously no way to sit and talk with an applicant and know whether they can actually read, write and perform mathematical calculations.

Punctuality is a key indicator of how an employee will act once hired. If an applicant is late for an appointment, dismiss them from deliberation unless they have an incredibly good reason. Appropriate attire should always be worn to an interview Listen carefully as the applicant explains why they left their previous job(s). Someone that continually has problems with supervisors and/or co-workers will probably have the same conflicts with your company. Don't hire an obvious problem no matter how desperately you need help. Always hire someone that you find likable. You don't need to become bosom buddies but you must be able to work with them in a harmonious environment. Not only is turnover intimidating, it also has a huge monetary impact on the organization. On average, a lost worker can easily cost a company 150% of the employee's base salary.

Turnover in many specialized and management roles can be even more costly. So the question is, how sticky are you? How much hiring is still with your company after 6 months? After 1 year? After 2 years? Track the metrics and use them to improve your organization. A handful of fast-growing companies are rigorous about sourcing, selecting, and shaping new people as they are about designing new goods and products and conquering new marketplaces. Their experiences, and the tools they've developed to keep moving faster, can also help you create your own techniques for great hiring.