When you are searching for a new employee the first thing you are looking at is if they are qualified or have the experience to do the job. They will have seen the job description, and a few careful questions at their interview will soon let you know if they have the knowledge you are looking for. You should also be looking for other qualities though, things that will make them someone worth putting on your payroll.
Positive Attitude
They should have a positive attitude towards the work or they could be more of a liability than a good employee. Generally, other people do not like being around someone that is always negative, as that just drags everyone down. You want them to come to work with a smile and to keep that way no matter how busy they are or what problems occur.
Optimistic people are usually problems solvers as well, and the more they do this the more valuable they become as an employee. To find out at their interview if they are an optimist or a pessimist, ask them what are the best and worst things in life.
Reliable And Loyal
You want all your employees to be reliable and loyal to your business. You need to know that they will turn up for work as and when they should and that you can rely on them to get the work done. You also want them to listen to instructions and need to be able to rely on them to see them through. Failing to do so could result in unhappy customers, which reflects badly on your company.
You want employees to be loyal to your business and not saying awful things about it once they are off the premises. They will need to remember that they may well see information that is confidential as well, and they need to keep it this way.
You will not really find out if they are reliable until they have started working for you, but to find out how they are loyal, ask them about their previous employers. Unless there really has been a nasty situation, they should still talk about them in a good way even after they have left. If they will have access to really sensitive information, you could be a clause about breaches of confidentiality in their contract of employment.
Hard Working And Self-Motivated
Self-motivated people are usually the hardest workers. They will just get on with the job without you having to constantly watch over them. They generally work to a very high standard and encourage others to do the same.
They are also more likely to pay attention to detail. The slightest mistake can have catastrophic consequences and employees who are detail orientated are far less likely to make such errors.
You will not have to worry about the hours they work, or the quality of their work. Their aim is to do the job well and they are not usually looking for rewards for going the extra mile.
Willing To Take On Other Tasks
In every business, there are times when you need someone to help out with a job that is not their own. This could be because of illness or at holiday times, or maybe just because of a particularly busy period. Most employees will help out in situations such as this, but how many of them would take on another task permanently?
For instance, would they be willing to learn about first aid and life-saving with the help of the CPR Heart Center, for example? This is a skill that there should be someone trained in, in every workforce, and all the other employees need to know who to go to if they have a minor accident. Would they be willing to be in charge of the stationery, making sure people have what they need and that there are always supplies in hand? These are just a couple examples but there are many other tasks in any business that do not take a great deal of time, but that someone needs to be responsible for.
Able To Work In A Team
Are they able to work as part of a team or do they prefer to work alone? This is a really important question that you should ask every potential employee at his or her interview.
Teams get the work done at a faster pace because they are helping each other. To be a valuable team member they need to have great social skills and be a good communicator. Employee relationships improve when people work this way and research has shown that the team members all learn new skills from each other.
In some jobs, the team spirit is so important that the employers organize team-building exercises. This can range from a few workplace games where they have to work together to solve problems to weekends away with the same purpose.
Of course, there are jobs where working alone is preferable, but they are very few and far between.
Honesty
Honesty within any workplace is crucial. There is more to this than the possibility of someone stealing something. They need to be honest if they have a problem with the job that they cannot solve. They need to be honest if they have made a mistake, so you can limit any damage they may have caused. They need to be honest if they develop an illness so that you can make alternative arrangements until they are well again. They need to be honest if they want to leave the company, as you may be able to solve the problem that has made them come to that decision or start looking for someone to replace them.
In fact, they need to be honest in all areas of their employment if you want your business to run smoothly.
Leadership Qualities
There is always a leader in every team, but what happens if you do not have an employee who has these qualities – the team fails. Leaders are usually confident people, who become more so with each success. If you notice an employee seems to have these qualities, put them in charge of a small team for a while and see how they do.
You will very soon know if they are leadership material, and then it might be worthwhile giving them even more responsibility. Some people thrive on extra responsibility, and they could become an extremely valuable member of your workforce.
As a boss, you will have multiple responsibilities and when you delegate a project to a team you need to be certain that the leader of that group will motivate everyone to get the job done accurately and for when it is due. The managers in your business can have a huge effect on the view customers have, so it is vitally important to have people with leadership qualities in these positions.
Ambitious
Generally, someone who is ambitious will work hard to achieve his or her goals. They will often work extra hard in an attempt to prove to you they are worthy of a promotion. They set high expectations for themselves, which can often result in new ideas and innovations for your company.
It is a fine balance ambitious people have to reach as they try to climb the ladder. They want success and will strive to get it, but they do not want to upset other workers along the way. If they are successful in their aims, they could well be working with different people, and the last thing they want is a reputation preceding them that they are not good to work with.
Will They Fit In?
You know the staff you already have and need to ensure that any new employee will fit in with them, and be accepted by the current workers very quickly. Daily work practices and language are part of what defines your workplace culture and someone who does not fit into the environment well will probably not stay very long.
This can be unsettling for the existing workforce, so consider your workforce culture carefully before you offer a job to anyone.
Creative
A creative person can be an asset to any business. They will be working in your office, shop or factory and may well see things that as the boss you do not notice. Creative people will come up with ideas that could help your business such as ways that are cheaper or quicker to do a particular task.
Often, they are instrumental in helping a business to thrive and grow and if you have an employee who is creative you should encourage them to tell you all their ideas.
It’s Not Always Easy
Being an employer is not always an easy job. There are so many rules and regulation you have to follow in all areas of the well being of your employees. At the same time, you are trying to produce a product or service of the highest quality and the two are not always compatible. This is why it is so important to have a good workforce, people that will work with you and not against you.
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