Employers Recruitment
Employees are a vital part of the business and the employment relationship will start at the stage of recruitment.
Is there a vacancy?
Many employers can unnecessarily seek to fill a vacant post without exploring whether there are already suitable in-house candidates available. Processes such as appraisals and reviews can help to highlight employees interested in new opportunities or keen to expand their skill set. Good employees may leave the business simply because they feel that there are no career progression opportunities.
Is the wording of an advertisement important?
It is important to ensure that any advertisement, job description or person specification is not discriminatory. Advertisements will not necessarily just be limited to newspaper publications, but other forms of media such as the television and internet. Careful thought should be given when preparing the job description and person specification not only to avoid potential claims arising, but also to help the business focus on the skill set and requirements of the role.
What about the interview process?
The various stages of the interview process may vary depending on the nature of the role, size of the business and available administrative resources. No matter what the selection process might be, the process must be fair, reasonable and consistent not only to prevent a potential claim arising, but also to ensure that the best person for the appointment is made.
How should I make an offer?
We find that problems can arise at a later stage where employers have not properly documented the actual job offer, a particular problem being bonuses which are said to be payable but never followed through. We recommend that the offer is clearly set out in a letter and should include, for example, the job title, commencement date, that it supersedes any previous discussions, the remuneration package and whether it is conditional upon receipt of satisfactory references.
How important is it to have an induction?
An induction process can be viewed as time consuming exercise, however, it is better considered as an investment in your new employee. It is an opportunity to explain how the business operates, to provide training on any systems and an introduction to other members of the team. We find that many problems can arise where an employer has not undertaken some form of induction, for example, performance management simply because training was never provided.