533: Finding The Right Construction Talent And Common Onboarding Mistakes

This Podcast Is Episode Number 533, And It's About Finding The Right Construction Talent And Common Onboarding Mistakes As a business owner, you know the right people are crucial to your construction company's success. The best employees can help you achieve your business goals, improve productivity, and drive growth. But finding the people best suited to your team can be daunting, and sometimes it's easy to hire someone who seems okay rather than taking the time to find the best fit. 

Here are some steps to find and hire staff that support your business growth, whether in the office or the field.

Step 1: Define the job and necessary qualifications
The first step in finding the right talent is accurately defining the job description and qualifications. Is this a new position you're hiring for? Are there gaps in employee skills that need to be met? Is this a position that requires specific knowledge and experience?    Remember that there's a difference between "must-have" qualifications and "nice to have" considerations. When setting out "must have" qualifications, include only those that are necessary to the person successfully performing the role. 

Remember also that the job salary should match the role and the qualifications. You can't expect to hire someone with ten years of experience by only offering an entry-level wage.   

Step 2: Use multiple recruiting channels

These days, there are many places you can turn to when finding employees, and each attracts different people. Using a variety of channels when searching for employees gives you a higher chance of success. 

Post the job description on your company website and multiple social media platforms. Use job boards and recruitment agencies to expand your reach. Contact your personal and professional networks to ask for referrals or recommendations. After all, the people you know also know people. They may be able to recommend someone who's an excellent fit for your construction business.

Step 3: Screen candidates

Once you have a list of candidates, you'll need to screen them. This includes going through resumes/CVs and conducting interviews. Check to make sure they have the qualifications and experience you need. 

During the interview, ask open-ended questions to assess the candidate's problem-solving abilities, communication skills, and overall fit. Ask about the results they've obtained in previous jobs and lessons they've learned throughout their experience. It's also important to allow candidates to ask questions about your company and the position you're hiring for.

Step 4: Check references

Before making a job offer, it's essential to check references. Contact former supervisors and colleagues to ask about their work performance and attitude. Double-check that they obtained the results they said they did. This will help you ensure that the candidate has a proven track record of success and is a good fit for your construction company.

Step 5: Make a job offer

After checking references and confirming that the candidate has the skills and qualifications to match your needs, it's time to make the job offer. Be clear about the terms of employment, including salary, benefits, and start date. Give the candidate time to review the offer and ask any additional questions they may have. 

Once they accept the offer, you can begin the onboarding process.

Step 6: Provide training and support

Once you've hired someone, it's crucial to provide training and support to help them succeed in their new role. This can include job-specific training and coaching on company culture and values. Regular check-ins and feedback can help new employees feel supported and valued and ensure issues are handled quickly and effectively.

In this regard, while most small businesses spend much time and effort finding the right employees, they often fail to capitalize on their newly hired talent by ceding the onboarding process to HR or neglecting their responsibility entirely. From long waits for workspace, equipment, or training to an overly negative recitation of 'don't do these things or you will be fired,' employers consistently miss the opportunity to inspire new contributors and set aggressive performance standards.

Before you bring on your next new hires and leave them to languish in the lunchroom filling out paperwork with an HR representative, consider the following seven common onboarding mistakes small businesses make.

While it's important for newly hired employees to fill out their tax forms and enroll in benefits, this process should not replace new-hire orientation. Rather than waste valuable time on paperwork, send new employees a package of documents, or give them a link to apply online before they start their first day of work. Nothing is more demotivating than spending four hours alone in a room filling out paperwork you could have quickly done at home. On their first day, an employee should be greeted by their direct supervisor, who spends at least a half-hour with them to begin building a relationship.

While it's vital to discuss expectations early in the onboarding process, focusing on a list of negatives that could result in termination detracts from why you hired the person in the first place. While it's crucial to address ethics and accountability, newly hired employees must be encouraged to engage in the work they were hired to do rather than focus on the top 10 ways they could get fired.

There is no excuse to leave newly hired employees without workspace or equipment. It would be far better to delay an employee's start date rather than leave them in a conference room without a workspace or equipment to do their job.

All newly hired employees should have a training agenda before their start date. The agenda should list the type of training they should expect to receive, the name of the trainer with a short bio, and an expectation of when they will be finished their training and start work on their own. If there is a competency test before the start of work, this should also be noted in the agenda.

Co-workers are an excellent resource for newly hired employees. While companies often focus on introducing their most productive workers and managers, introducing new hires to other recently hired employees who can more easily empathize with their needs is often helpful. If possible, consider hiring new employees in waves rather than individually, as this can often build relationships and lead to a more cohesive team.

Training provides a critical foundation for ongoing success in a construction company. Not only does a well-trained employee perform better, but the employee will also have more confidence when interacting with customers and will be far more likely to succeed. If your organization has a high churn rate within the first six months, poor training is likely the culprit. Untrained new hires often become disillusioned with an organization that lacks structure, training, and follow-up. During the first 90 days of hire, an employee should have enough training to be self-sufficient for at least a week, regardless of their position.

Not all employees learn at the same rate using the same methods. Make sure new hires have access to training material in various formats. This includes training handbooks, training videos, and employee shadowing. Rather than force a particular format, concentrate on the results needed to excel at the position. Make sure to give feedback regularly throughout the process.

New employees' first day on the job should be a day of promise and inspiration, not a window into dysfunction. Since first impressions matter, alert everyone in the organization that a new employee has been hired, and supply a biography. There's nothing more gratifying to new employees than to be enthusiastically greeted by co-workers who have taken the time to find out who they are and how they can contribute.

Final thoughts

Finding the right talent for your business can be challenging, but you can increase your chances of finding the right people to help your business grow. Remember to be clear about job expectations, use multiple recruiting channels, screen candidates thoroughly, conduct in-person interviews, check references, make a job offer, and provide proper onboarding, training, and support.

About The Author:

Sharie DeHart, QPA, co-founded Business Consulting And Accounting (Fast Easy Accounting) in Lynnwood, Washington. She is the leading expert in managing outsourced construction bookkeeping and accounting services companies and cash management accounting for small construction companies across the USA. She encourages Contractors and Construction Company Owners to stay current on their tax obligations and offers insights on managing the remaining cash flow to operate and grow their construction company sales and profits so they can put more money in the bank. Call 1-800-361-1770 or sharie@fasteasyaccounting.com