If you ask any consultant about hiring employees you will get the same set of advice you know: state the company's vision clearly, communicate your mission clearly, make a good interview, and such. It's time to forget the rules, times changed.
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Times changed greatly and companies struggle to find people. It's not because employees became snobs, no, it's because their demands changed. And for the better, we may say.
So, what should we do instead of a classic "find the best" way?
First, think about rehiring a former employee. Yes, times were tough and they got fired but who knows your business better than them? If you fired them in a human way, explaining them what and why, and helping them manage the new situation, you may turn to them and ask them to return.
Also, think about hiring retired persons. They have experience, they are reliable and they are excellent mentors. It stands true especially for retired doctors whose decades of work can be valuable to young doctors who started working recently.
If the communication when they were fired was bad, well, you may forget them and ask yourself why it was bad. Did you pay attention to workers needs?
The purpose of being employed is to be able to have a decent life. That's the reason a manager took that position. That's the reason workers should get a decent remuneration. Being able to take kids out for a window shopping and getting payed only to cover living expenses isn't enough.
Competitive pay and benefits are what future employees want. Don't expect the best people if you are giving them a salary with makes them struggle through the month. The salary must be decent, good enough for a decent life, and you will have no problems with employees.
Talk to each other. Good communication saves lives on many levels.
Second, think about work locations and schedule. Many though people will return to their jobs gladly but they said "no".
Why? The answer is easy. They were tired of company politics, and they were tired of spending what they don't need to spend. And meetings. Eh, meetings... As long as your employee do your job, you don't have to meet them online every day. Make weekly meetings to see how they're doing, if they need something, and leave them alone.
Third, don't overburden your employees. Keep in mind that as humans, we can adapt very quickly to any new change in order to survive. That's how many of employees quit and started something else, even their own businesses, because their former companies wanted them to be available all the time, and we mean ALL the time, and now they simply say "no" to that.
State clearly what are your expectations and make sure they won't have to work 20 hours a day to meet the objectives. With that burden you will find nobody. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, isn't it?
That stands true for all kinds of workers, from office employees, to employees who work with customers the whole day, to workers who spend their day in the field. When it's too much, it's too much.
Keep in mind that the majority of workers already worked somewhere, so you don't talk with inexperienced people, they already know all good and bad sides of their jobs, so focus on concrete skills and requirements, instead of "Our missions is to be the best in our field with new and exciting products blah blah blah". Run a background check and if everything is fine, say welcome to the board.
Be straight, be honest, say thank you from time to time, give them some time off and you will get good people. For some people a day off when they don't expect to get it could be one of the most valuable thing you could give them.
And forget some of the HR nonsense that are "in" now like: require random people to chat once a week, virtual coffee meetings or happy hours (virtual happy hour... my god), or a "culture ambassador" who explains the company culture to new employees and it's constantly asking "Are you OK?" If you have a normal company and did your hiring process right, you don't need those nonsense.
Time changed and people now want concrete things: clearly defined job, good salary, and remote work where possible. And you may forget all time HR mumbo jumbo that treats people like little kids. Those politics made them quite in the first place. ■