Finding and Keeping Good Staff
Finding great employees is a lot like mining for gold. As a long-time business owner and fan of TV's Gold Rush, I have learned that good staff are like gold nuggets. They are rare and hard to find, but worth every ounce of effort.
And the truth is you must move a lot of dirt to find good gold and so it is with your people. You will have to sift through piles of resumes to find those nuggets that can help you transform your business.
Striking Gold - How to Find and Keep Great Staff
Do not settle for surface-level prospecting. Superficial digging rarely yields big nuggets, in gold mining or hiring. Skimming a few CVs or hiring the first shiny resume you see is like panning only the top layer of soil. It usually only yields fool's gold.
Instead, dig deep with a thorough approach. Conduct in-depth interviews, check references, and thoroughly vet candidates. Expect to screen many people to find a true gem.
Also, equip yourself with the right tools. Successful miners invest in proper equipment to boost their odds of finding gold. In business, this means having effective hiring processes and resources. Use smart hiring strategies, get colleagues involved, and leverage assessment tools.
Once you strike gold, ensure your workplace lets them shine. Even the best employee cannot perform with shoddy tools or support. Set them up for success and they will reward you with results.
Looking after your gold
Finding gold is only half the battle. You also must keep it. Sometimes what you thought was a prized nugget turns out to be fool's gold. Not every hire will pan out. A great candidate might not fit, promise much, and deliver little, or a star employee may lose their spark.
When that happens, be ready to adjust. Just as miners move on when a claim is mined out, you may need to shift roles, provide extra training, or part ways and start prospecting for new gold.
Protect and nurture your true gold nuggets i.e. your top performers, because other "prospectors" (your competitors) will try to steal them away. Look after your gold by fostering a positive workplace, providing growth opportunities, and recognising their contributions.
Remember, just like a gold nugget, your star employee/s only get more valuable with time. Make it worth their while to stay. Share the rewards of success with remuneration increases, bonuses, promotions, profit-sharing or even a part ownership opportunity. When people feel valued and rewarded, they are more likely to stick around.
These gold-mining lessons hold true in business. Great staff are “gold” that make all the effort worthwhile. If you would like to chat about finding more gold (great staff) for your business and how to look after them, reach out to me at SAS Business. The nuggets are hard to find but every bit worth the effort when you do.