ProSource Newsletter No 3 - June 2005
People Are Your Greatest Asset!
'Successful recruitment and selection is not an art form but the application of proven techniques and methods'
In order to hire good people, the recruitment and selection process needs to be managed in the same way as any other activity that contributes to the success of your organisation. This involves giving it the necessary commitment, structure and resources, to allow for what is one of the most vital components to business success - people!
Consider the decision-making, planning and expenditure control that go into the purchase of capital equipment for your company. Even a modest financial outlay would normally involve an amount of paperwork, reviews, justifications, approvals and commitment.
If we now view the hiring of one person, in capital expenditure terms, we can gain an insight to the importance of applying effective techniques and methods to ensure success.
At current rates of pay and with the addition of on-costs for accident insurance, annual leave, superannuation, sick leave and other costs, an entry-level employee may represent an on-going financial cost to your organisation comparable to the funds committed to significant capital expenditure. This expense grows rapidly with each new person appointed and is even more pronounced at senior management levels.
Added to this expenditure is the need to induct and train the new employee. Unlike equipment that can be simply turned on to perform at predetermined levels, new employees require orientation, familiarisation and training. This is a cost, which includes the time and the involvement of other people in your company as well as any materials, or other resources you may make available.
If this process needs to be repeated frequently because your new employees are not working out, your costs in terms of time, lost productivity, training, and ongoing recruitment may escalate to unacceptable levels. Unless you can correct the situation, there is no guarantee that the next person appointed will be any more successful than the last!
Based on an annual salary package of say $50,000.00, the recruitment cost - advertising, handling responses, screening, interviewing, reference checking and the on-costs - induction, training, workers insurance, sick pay, holiday pay & leave loading, etc can easily be in excess of $19,000.00 or 38% of the salary package.
Now consider if the wrong person was hired and discovering the error up to 6 months after recruitment, this equation takes on dire financial circumstances. The additional costs (on top of having to repeat the recruitment process) include time associated with lost business focus, productivity and diverted management time - can total a staggering $44,000 or 88% of the original salary package!
So, it makes good business sense to manage the recruitment and selection process to ensure the best chance of success! Regardless of the mystique that many people like to attach to the subject, we believe successful recruitment and selection is not an art form but the application of proven techniques and methods.
'Recruitment should always be viewed as an essential investment'
Written by Roger Hilton (with excerpts from his book 'From Both Sides of the Desk') to assist you and your team members to enhance recruitment performance. For further information, feel free to contact Roger on (02) 9653 2980 or email at roger@prosource.com.au
Managing your time more effectively and efficiently
Practical ideas that do work when applied consistently
1. Allocate at least 10 minutes at the beginning or the end of your day to plan the daily activities. Get into the habit of doing this simple but very effective planning routine and see how much more effective you will become.
2. Create a daily and weekly To Do List and break your tasks into A, B & C priorities
A - Urgent Imperative Action (within a day or less)
B - Imperative Action (within one to two days)
C - Important Action (within two to seven days)
3. Once you have prioritised all your activities, allocate time in the day and in your electronic or paper based diary to work on and achieve them.
4. Use the salami method for achieving and completing tasks, break each task down into small slices or action steps and tackle the task one step at a time.
5. Use your electronic or paper based diary on a daily basis as an active personal and business organiser - remember to make appointments with yourself, as well as with colleagues, clients and suppliers.
6. Set up a weekly or monthly time picture for yourself to allow you to plan your monthly activities in advance and protect major time slots for your High Pay Off Activities (HPAs).
7. Remember the 80:20 rule in managing your time, 80% of our results usually comes from 20% of our effort, so spend more time working on your HPAs.
8. Set aside one or two time slots in each day to return and make phone calls. When doing this, advise all office support staff and colleagues that this is your scheduled time for returning and making phone calls and that you do not wish to be disturbed during this time.
9. Handle all paperwork, memos and correspondence only once and set aside one, two or three time slots in the day to read and reply to your e-mails.
10. Create Productive Quiet Time for yourself to work on key HPAs
Schedule your time each day for uninterrupted periods to work on your HPAs, close your office door or find an area in the office where you can’t be disturbed. Accept that interruptions are a part of business and personal life and reschedule activities when interruptions cut into your planned schedule for each day
11. Create time for yourself and others - use a conference or meeting planner to note issues that you need to discuss with team members, colleagues and clients. Only call or meet with them when you have at least five things written on the planner, unless it is an urgent imperative matter.
12. Actively practice the four D’s of effective and efficient time management:
Do It
Decide When
Delegate It
Dump It
13. Allocate at least 15 to 30 minutes out of each day to recharge your batteries - take a walk, go for a swim, read a non-business related book, call a friend or family member or just relax. If you work at a computer for long periods of time, take stretch breaks every 30 - 45 minutes.
- A ProSource Thought -
'The bad news is time flies. The good news is you're the pilot'
Michael Althsuler
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