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STAFFING UP

People Power

Building an effective workforce is one of the most important things you can do to grow your business. But where do you find them?

While most entrepreneurs know that the success of any company starts with people, finding the right person for the job can be quite a headache – but a necessary one. Companies that find the right fit demonstrate a 7.5 percent higher revenue growth, 6.1 percent higher profit growth and 17.1 percent lower employee turnover, according to a recent study by the Cornell University Center for Advanced Human Resource Studies. As Kevin and Jackie Friebert, authors of Hire People Who Don't Suck (Energy, Passion and Enthusiasm Out of Others), put it: "The type of people you hire today will determine the kind of culture, the kind of service standards and the reputation you have tomorrow."

But how? One way to ensure a candidate matches the position is by developing appropriate job descriptions or reviewing (and updating, if necessary) those you already have in place. Candidates will be able to decide which opportunities to consider based in part on specific responsibility descriptions. Titles aren't enough. "Office manager" means the same thing to everyone. Having job descriptions prepared for every position in your organization weeds out potential candidates who won't be interested in the particular position, saving you time and energy. It also helps you narrow down exactly what you're looking for.

What to consider when interviewing:

• Person-position fit: Will this candidate succeed in this role? Does she have the job experience, attitude and skill sets to do this job?
  
  
• Person-organization fit: Will she bring success to the company? Specifically, what can she add to your bottom line? And will she get what she needs from this job?
  
  
• Future-fit: What is the candidate's long-term potential? Will she stick around? Does she have the potential and flexibility to grow with the company?

What about attracting the right employees to your company? In today's war for talent, salary alone may not always separate your organization from the competition. Have a clear description of the "total compensation" package your company offers and be sure to highlight nonsalary benefits to potential candidates. These can include such perks as:

• paid time off and other employee-leave options;
  
  
• retirement benefits such as a 401(k);
  
  
• company contributions to health and welfare benefits;
  
  
• educational assistance;
  
  
• travel, shopping and entertainment discounts.

Also, be creative in your compensation and perks for employees. For example, Gevity, which provides HR services for small and mid-sized businesses nationwide (including PINK), partners with various service providers to offer its employees a perks program that includes discounts (such as floral services and movie passes) and retail events not available to the general public and individual consumers.

Find more on this topic in The Gevity Answer Book, a compilation of effective HR strategies, available free at hr.gevity.com/answerbook.