If you’ve recently hired a new team member, and they’ve yet to start, don’t underestimate the value of maintaining regular contact with them..

…...throughout their notice period. And, bear in mind, from the minute you make the offer, the induction into your business has begun. 

After the initial excitement of receiving the job offer what goes on during the notice period may surprise you, and the longer the period the greater the risk that someone may come along and make a counteroffer to your much sought after candidate, and this counteroffer may come from their current employer. The longer a candidate has to wait for you to follow up the more time there is to think about options!

No matter how long the notice period you should assume that if a candidate is actively engaged in searching for a new role, they are probably considering other opportunities. In a candidate starved market, especially if they have hard to source skills and experience, they will be in high demand so they may receive more than one offer. To strengthen their commitment to you here are a few pointers that will influence their decision to start on the agreed date and with you.

If you’ve made a verbal offer send a written offer immediately. The longer the delay the more anxious your candidate will be about your intentions, and they may be more open to other job opportunities, especially if you took a long time to make the decision to offer.

Ensure the details regarding terms and remuneration are the same as those described in the interview. Subsequent negotiations should be communicatioed to all, and any alterations agreed and recorded carefully. Ambiguity in written terms will only lessen the candidates commitment to your business.

If you agree dates for sending critical information i.e. contract, offer details, etc. stick to them rigidly. Candidates do look out for the paperwork and if not receive they can begin to question the seriousness of the offer and the efficiency of your business. In a technological age there is no longer an excuse for delaying paperwork and candidates will no longer wait around.

If the business is having a social event it’s good to invite your soon to be new starter to join in. From experience I know how much this positively influences a candidate, and it gives them confidence about their decision in accepting your offer. Alternatively invite them to a team lunch or meal. It’s a great ice breaker and provides them with access to future colleagues who can also do much to secure a commitment to joining the team

Ensure that the induction programme is fit for purpose and that the content is relevant to the new starters needs. Asking a new starter to sit through a long induction and training programme which doesn't engage them is never a good idea. We also suggest sending the itinerary before the start date as it will let your candidate know you are committed to them and that there is a plan in place to help them settle in properly.

Contact your new starter the week before they are due to start to ensure that they have everything needed before they begin, and if there are any queries/concerns address them immediately. 

If your new starter has booked time off before they accepted the offer, make sure that their line manager is made aware of the dates and that it is honoured - We’ve lost a candidate simply because this had not been passed on to the training manager who advised, in the induction course, that this would not be honoured as there was a minimum period of employment before holidays could be booked! 

To enable new starters to get ahead of the game, especially if starting in a new sector, many more companies are sending out pre-employment information packs with online links about the business/sector to their candidates. Best not to make it too onerous, but it’s a great idea to make the early days a little easier as they can research in advance at their leisure, and provides them with confidence on day 1   

Make sure that you’ve advised all the relevant departments about your new starter so that logins, introductions, etc are ready from day 1. Leaving a new starter unattended and unloved in the early days can have a detrimental effect on how he/she views the business, and that offer they turned down in favour of yours may begin to feel much more appealing!

Employers invest so much time in searching for and selecting essential talent, and whether it is through direct or indirect recruitment channels they may end up losing time and money through a ‘no show candidate’ simply because of neglecting this aspect of the recruitment process. We hope these tips will limit this incidence and if you’d like more information on how to attract and hold onto your valuable people follow our series on suggested ideas on how to identify and thereafter retain your workforce.   

Marmion believes that matching a candidate with an employer is more than just presenting a cv. We also know that the recruitment process doesn't stop once an offer is made, and the most successful introductions take time and effort from all parties concerned. If you need support in searching for and securing talent please feel free to contact me on 07974 366140

marmionrecruitment.co.uk