Retooling Human Resources: A Roadmap to Building a Stronger Team
When it comes to growing a small business, many owners focus on sales, products, and the big picture. But there’s one crucial piece often overlooked—human resources. Specifically, how do you ensure you have the right people on your team, and how can you measure their success? A well-structured approach to hiring and managing employees can be the game-changer your business needs. Here’s a simple guide to retooling your HR practices.
Why You Need Measurable Standards for Employees
The famous management quote, “If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it,” holds true for employee performance. But how do your employees know if they’re excelling, and how do you measure their contributions?
It all starts with creating clear job descriptions. This is not just a formal exercise—it’s the foundation for managing performance, hiring new talent, and even planning promotions. A vague job description will lead to vague performance results.
What Should a Job Description Include?
A strong job description lays out the specific tasks for a position, but it doesn’t stop there. You need to provide measurable standards. Here’s a checklist of what to include:
- A detailed summary of tasks: Be as specific as possible.
- Expected results: Quantify wherever you can—whether that’s sales numbers, customer satisfaction ratings, or other key metrics.
- Authority and responsibility: Outline what decisions they are empowered to make and what they are accountable for.
- Reporting structure: Who will they report to, and how does their role fit into the broader company?
By breaking down tasks and expectations into measurable items, you create a clear pathway to performance management. And, when the time comes to hire or promote, this roadmap helps you identify the most suitable candidates for the role.
Prioritize What Matters Most
Most roles involve a variety of tasks, and you won’t find a candidate who excels at every single one. That’s okay! The key is to prioritize the most critical tasks. When you know which responsibilities are the most important, you can focus on finding candidates who excel in those areas.
Once they’re hired, those priorities can guide performance reviews, ensuring you weigh the most important tasks more heavily.
Beyond Skills: Crafting a Personality Profile
Hiring the right person isn’t just about qualifications and experience—it’s about ensuring they have the right personality traits for the role. Can they handle stress? Do they need strong attention to detail? Or do they need to be visionaries who think big?
One way to determine this is by looking at your current employees who are succeeding in similar roles. What personality traits do they have? Do they excel under pressure? Are they great at working independently? Skills can be taught, but personality traits are much harder to mold. That’s why this step is essential in finding the right fit.
Align Values for Long-Term Success
Here’s where many small business owners make a mistake: they focus on skills, experience, and personality, but overlook values. Your company’s values and culture are just as important. If your team values collaboration, but your candidate prefers working solo, it could lead to friction down the road.
Take the time to detail your company’s core beliefs and values and make sure your candidate aligns with them. You’re not just hiring for a role—you’re bringing someone into your business family. A mismatch in values can create tension and impact morale, leading to poor performance and turnover.
The Painful, Yet Rewarding, Process of Hiring
There’s no sugarcoating it—hiring takes time and effort, which can feel like it’s pulling you away from running your business. But taking the time to define clear job descriptions, personality profiles, and value alignment pays off in the long run. By carefully crafting these components, you’ll make smarter hires and strengthen your company’s human capital.
Think of it like carpentry: Measure twice, cut once. A little extra preparation in the beginning can save you a lot of headaches down the road.
The Takeaway
Hiring for your small business should be more than just filling a vacancy. It’s an opportunity to enhance your team and set the stage for future growth. By focusing on measurable performance standards, prioritizing critical tasks, understanding personality traits, and aligning values, you can build a team that pushes your business forward.
In the end, each new hire is more than just a team member—they’re a key asset in your company’s success. Invest the time upfront, and you’ll reap the rewards of a stronger, more aligned workforce.
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This and more is covered in “the small business survival guide by Ray Silverstein. You can receive a free ecopy by sending Ray and email at: Ray@Propres.com
