You want to hire the best people, but how do you know that you’re getting the most out of the people that you hire, and that you’re taking advantage of the talent that you have invested in? Here are some principles we found helpful in staffing services and other businesses, to get more out of the career professionals who have made the grade for entering your company.

Intake – Ask Questions

First of all, in the interview and hiring process, you’re going to want to get as much intelligence on each person as possible. You want to understand not only what their strengths and skills are, but how these blend with other potential skill sets that they could learn, and what they’re most interested in.

In some ways, some of the processes are done for you, because people generally interview for particular roles or positions. But that still leaves a little a lot of gaps unfilled. Ask about what someone does best, what he or she is most interested in, and what his or her skills are. Not all people are equally capable of picking up the ball and running with it, so a lot of the sorting out of these kinds of questions happens early on in the interview process, and during the hiring process.

Ongoing Education

Another big tip is to invest in professional development and ongoing education for employees. When you have an idea of their skills and interests, look at opportunities to add to them, either by assigning them to go to trade shows and conferences, or by purchasing additional skills-based courses. Investing in professional development is a major part of what companies do to grow their own talent and develop their human assets.

Mentoring

In addition to professional development, mentoring is an effective and cheap way to make the most of company resources.

Think about it — the company employs a person for years, or even decades. As they grow professionally inside of that company, they acquire both knowledge and skills. But when they retire or otherwise exit, all that goes with them, unless it’s captured through a mentoring process.

The smartest companies put mentoring systems in place to be an effective “skills reclaiming” system — within the company, informal apprenticeships ensure that whatever improvements these senior people have built over time, they’re not just going to go by the wayside as a new generation of workers comes along.

Feedback

The best companies are also open to feedback. They know that it’s better to work together than to dictate from some remote position, and lose out on some of the best potential improvements and capabilities that employees have to offer. Always make sure that the business is seeking feedback, not only as “business intelligence” but as a morale booster and a mark of good faith to employees, that their ideas are valued, and that they are important partners for a business.

About Full Steam Staffing

Full Steam Staffing is a full-service staffing agency focused on providing clerical and light industrial staffing solutions to manufacturers, distribution centers and other organizations that need qualified, reliable workers. If you are currently looking to hire and grow your workforce, contact our team of skilled recruiters today!