Why your hiring processes need to be streamlined and efficient in a tight labor market.

Staffing Problem: Do not Blame the Labor Market, First Look Inward.

A message about creating efficient hiring processes.

Before you say, “I have a staffing problem!”, let’s consider some of the following:

What does your Hiring & On-Boarding Process look like? Before I start recruiting for any client, I first analyze their hiring and onboarding processes. What am I looking for??

1.?????The application.

2.?????Do the application questions fit the role?

3.?????What does the “Applicant Experience” look like from a processes and timing perspective?

4.?????Who is responsible for the Hiring/Recruiting/Onboarding?

The application itself

What method of delivery are we using? Online, Paper, or Web Application.

Is the method speaking to our desired demographic? It’s possible to have more than one method for potential applicants to apply. We should be optimizing options for ALL applicants. #AccessibilityMatters

For example, if your demographic is 18-25 years of age, it may be more appropriate to use an “app” or a QR code. Leading the potential applicant straight to the job description and application.??

Do the application questions fit the role?

If you are looking to fill front line positions (typically require little training or experience) do not ask for more than what is needed. Keep it simple. Will your applicant need or have 5 years of previous experience for a front-line cashiering job? No.?

Want to attract top talent? Be a TOP EMPLOYER. #KeepItSimple

?Questions not tailored to the role can be barriers for the applicant. “I do not have the desired experience” causing you to lose on potential applicants. Hire for attitude and coachability not SKILL.

I once worked for a mentor that said upon hiring me at 18 years of age, “You have charisma, I can’t teach that. I can teach you all the other skills you need, you are hired!”.??Imagine the impact you will have on your organization and your team when you hire for attitude.?

What does the “Applicant Experience” look like from a processes and timing perspective?

We tend to look at Customer Experience to ensure that our consumers are being taken care of from the very start & all the way through the last interaction.?

I recommend looking at your “Applicant Experience” as well. Applicants are consumers of your brand. Will they be impressed with your brand from the get-go? Or are you just trying to get through the day? Just trying get through the day will show from the start. This leads the applicant to question the effectiveness of the organization and question if they even want to work with you.?

Applicants are very intelligent, if you are not showing that respect to applicants, it’s likely that your applicant pool is not meeting your expectations. You attract what you expect.?

Develop an SOP for your Recruiting/Hiring/On-Boarding processes. Codification of your process will help ensure consistency in the operation. Consistency leads to higher retention and better performance on KPIs.

#SpeedToMarket: In business, we tend to value early adoption when it comes to revenue generating initiatives. Speed to market matters when trying to grow your market share. Your organizational structure should complement your revenue growth. That is assuming you are looking for sustainable growth.?

I once worked with an organization that grew its physical footprint requiring more staff but did not adequality account for the additional staff needed to support the expansion.??

They suffered from negative guest feedback (dirty park, long lines, etc.), short staffing, and an inability to deliver a satisfactory product.?

After deploying RTODR, a method I developed over the years, within the organization we were able to provide a FUN-SAFE-CLEAN product for all guests.?

·??????Recruit?– Development of processes necessary to find appropriate staff.?

·??????Train?– Development of processes necessary to ensure staff are appropriately trained.

·??????Operate?– Consistent audit and evaluation of SOPs used in the operation.?

·??????Develop?– A formalized process to help train and educate current staff for future opportunities.?

·??????Retain?– Having a strong staff, a result of the previous actions

If you are suffering from a “numbers” game; speed to market matters with your applicants. If you are not contacting an applicant same day or within 24hrs, you are behind. Your mind set should be: “This is an employee’s market”. They have the options, many options. Be faster than your competitors.?

Who is responsible for the Recruiting/Hiring/Onboarding?

This question is HUGE! Are there set roles and responsibilities for this process? This process needs to be as seamless as possible, for both the employee and employer.?

In working with different organizations, I can tell you from experience, create or follow a process that works for YOU.?

There is no one size fits all answer. Do not fall for quick tips or “hacks”. The hack is putting in the work required to build an efficient operation with a solid culture as its foundation.?

I cannot tell you how many times I have seen friction in organizations between its internal departments. They are supposed to be working together but they do quite the opposite. Having quarrels about what the other should be doing (finger pointing: throwing job descriptions in each other’s faces). #SMH

Often the quarreling can be remedied through unifying the team under the same “call to action”. Make it about the process (problem to solve for) and not each other. This requires a sufficient amount of Emotional Intelligence. #EQ

You may be stuck or in a rut when it comes to staffing. Sometimes you just need to look at it from a different angle. The current labor conditions are not in the Employer’s favor but take control of what you can!?

1.?????Ensure you are using the appropriate mediums for the desired demographic.

2.?????Remove unnecessary questions or requirements from your application form.?

3.?????Develop an SOP for the Applicant Experience & ensure that your organizational chart matches your product offerings.?

4.?????Having clear roles and responsibilities will help reduce friction in the recruiting and hiring process.?

In doing so, your team will thank you for providing them the necessary structure and resources to be successful.?

If you have specific questions about your organization please reach out to Josh Martinez,?[email protected], to see how we can support you.?

About Joshua Martinez, M.S. :

The OSO Consulting Group was founded in December of 2020 by Joshua Martinez, an industry veteran with eight (8) waterpark startups since 2009. Joshua is a Texas native and calls Arizona home. Josh got his start in waterparks while attending Arizona State University where he obtained a Bachelor of Science in Public Service & Public Policy. His first experience was with Village Roadshow Theme Parks when they opened Wet ‘n’ Wild Phoenix. Josh earned his stripes at Wet n' Wild where he eventually grew from seasonal supervisor to operations manager in 2013.?

Josh combined his passion for people with his passion for waterparks and embarked on a global journey that helped shape him into the leader he is today. That journey took him to places like the Midwest, Northeast, the South, and the Middle East. He has worked for some of the world’s most reputable hospitality brands: Great Wolf Resorts, Hilton, Intercontinental Hotel Group, and Wilderness Resorts.?

Most recently he was contracted by the City of El Paso, Texas to open four (4) municipally owned waterparks.?