4 Staffing Skills to Hire an Amazing Team
The Unit Manager position is the most important in the franchise organization, as they are the ones leading the team on the front lines and producing the results... Or not.
As I’ve explained in other blog posts, your franchisor only provides the training, tools, and materials to duplicate the proven brand you invested in. However, you, as a franchisee, are responsible for training your Unit Managers in the leadership and management skills required to turn that brand into a profitable business.
One of the critical skills Unit Managers must have to be successful in running a franchise unit is staffing, which implies not only finding but also retaining great people for your organization. And there are four specific things they need to learn to master the art of hiring amazing team members.
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Staffing Skill #1: Recruiting
The first staffing skill Unit Managers need to be successful in their roles and build an amazing team is recruiting, which means knowing where to find great people.
Sure, you can post an ad on social media or job search platforms. However, there are places within the unit's area that can also help Unit Managers find candidates in their local communities. The resources vary depending on your brand or industry, but just to give you some ideas, the local church or schools in the area are great starting points.
Don’t overlook referrals from your current team members either! You could even consider setting up an incentive program for employee referrals to attract people like those you already have. FYI: If your existing team is willing to recommend others to work for you, congratulations! That’s a strong sign of your employer brand and how your current employees see your organization.
- Remember: the goal of recruiting is to find the best sources of amazing team members that will cost the least amount of money, especially if you're in an industry with high turnover.
The ability to recruit great talent at a low cost is crucial for your success. Therefore, having a Unit Manager who can both identify and act on these potential opportunities is a very valuable asset.
Don’t miss: Winning Strategies for Staffing and Talent Acquisition
Staffing Skill #2: Interviewing
A bad hire can cost you a lot of money. That's why the next skill that a Franchise Unit Manager must have to hire an amazing team is interviewing.
An effective interview process is where you can truly discover who the people really are. However, if your Unit Manager isn't trained to conduct a proper interview beyond asking about strengths and weaknesses, they won't gather enough critical information to make a smart decision as to who to hire.
Think about it! When most people go to an interview, they are on their best behavior and show their best selves. So, it's the Unit Manager's responsibility to find out who that person truly is, without all the fuss, and whether their skills and abilities meet the organization's needs, if their values match what you’re looking for, and if they are a good culture fit.
This skill is not developed overnight, though. Unit Managers need specialized staffing training to conduct effective interviews and hire the best of the best.
Staffing Skill #3: Hiring
The next critical staffing skill for a Unit Manager is hiring, which spans from the moment you identify who you want to offer the job to making the actual offer and having the person accept it. This is also where the Unit Manager clarifies to the candidate what they're agreeing to, assuming they say yes.
How these procedures are carried out is very important because they set the tone for the employee-employee relationship and the employee's expectations of the job. And, if they are not conducted the right way, those first steps will start on the wrong foot.
That’s why you need to ensure your Unit Managers have the right skills and training to offer the job properly. This way, new employees will understand exactly what they're agreeing to, and the relationship will get off to a strong start.
Don’t miss: The Six-Step Process to Hire the Right People for your Franchise
Staffing Skill #4: Onboarding
The fourth staffing skill that a Unit Manager must possess to build an amazing team is onboarding. A proper onboarding process is crucial for ensuring a positive experience for new employees from the very beginning of their jobs.
- Did you know that during their first day and week, new employees often decide whether they will stay with the company or start looking for another job?
Therefore, the goal of onboarding should be to ensure that when a new employee goes home and is asked, “How was your first day?”, their response is something like, “It was amazing! I’m so glad I joined this company!”
This positive experience is achieved through a well-trained Unit Manager who knows how to effectively execute the onboarding process, give a great first impression, and make new employees feel welcome. If the unit leader lacks these staffing skills, the onboarding experience can quickly turn negative.
Imagine if the new employee arrives at their job and no one is there to greet them or introduce them to team members. If no one is aware of their arrival and nothing has been prepared to welcome or train them, their response to that question might be, “I’m not sure if this is the right company for me or if I’ll be coming back tomorrow.”
The difference between a positive and negative experience often depends on having a Unit Manager who is properly trained to conduct an effective onboarding process.
Mastering the art of hiring an amazing team, from recruiting and interviewing to making the job offer and onboarding, is essential for reducing turnover in your organization. That's why staffing is such a crucial skill that Unit Managers must be trained in.
If you haven't properly trained your Unit Managers on how to hire great people, whether because you lack the time or the tools, I invite you to explore our MANAGE Program.
This training program is designed to equip Unit Managers with the knowledge, tools, and resources they need to succeed in their roles and turn the brand you invested in into a profitable business.
To learn more, visit ManageAFA.com
Reflections:
- How are you attracting and retaining top talent in your organization?
- Where in your community can you find high-quality, low-cost sources of employees?
- Can your Unit Managers make job offers properly so candidates understand what they are agreeing to?
- How can you improve the first day for a new employee?
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