Posted by Kathleen Frank on Fri, Apr 23, 2010
This is part 2 of our blog series on Good People are Hard to Find
The popular misconception has been that key motivating factors in a job are money, perks and benefits. While these are important, motivating drives depend more upon the individual. What motivates one worker may not motivate another. There are employees who crave routine, details and a methodical pace, while others thrive on variety, authority, and fast pace. There are employees for whom the right title and right office are critical, and employees who would be embarrassed by these displays. A large salary can't compensate an employee who is miserable making widgets alone in a room, when he thrives on contact with people. Here again, assessment tools referred to above can aid significantly in uncovering these distinguishing motivating factors.
Thorough Reference Checks
Despite the common opinion that former employers will not share information on a candidate, it has been my experience that past employers and acquaintances are willing to share their opinions and perspective on an individual with whom they formerly worked, if you get to the right person. A good approach to reference checking is to ask the candidate for their suggested references, speak with those references, then ask those people if there is anyone else they would suggest you contact. You will be surprised what you are able to discover.
The hiring decision is among one of the most important ones that a manager or business owner will make. It is much easier to do a good job up front in the hiring process than to deal with the repercussions of a bad hire later down the line. Investing time and some resources into developing and maintaining a well-designed selection process will reap benefits that will positively impact the company's bottom line.
Photo by steve p2008
Read part 1 of Good People are Hard to Find.
What did you think? How do you figure out what motivates your employees?