Hire Employees Who Fit Your Company’s Culture

RCS Influencers from SA Roofing says having a thorough hiring process can nip the potential for problem employees in the bud. 

Our advice is to start with a good interview process. Part of that process should include talking about your core values. Having established core values will help you hold everyone accountable to the same standards. Make sure all employees are aware of your core values and that they all understand them. All employees, including leaders, need to model the core values. If the leaders do not model the core values you will have a harder time holding everyone to the same standards.  

We have all heard, “hire for attitude not just skill,” but have you ever hired for a culture fit? If employees don't fit in with your company culture or values they may become distant and uninterested and eventually can become toxic to your other workers and overall company health. Have potential employees interview with multiple people in different areas of the company, ask questions about how they interact with others, and create questions that discuss your company's core values. We know this sounds like it may take time, and in this industry time is of the essence. However, it is a lot easier to take time and make a good hire rather than firing a bad employee later and cleaning up any issues they left behind. 

Once employees are hired and they begin to show issues, address them quickly. Coach them by having conversations and allow for feedback. Have conversations in private to honor your employee and allow them to save face. Sometimes there is an easy fix. If they need more help or support, put a coaching plan together. Be specific with goals and give deadlines. However, if improvements are not being made you may find that an employee is not coachable. Once you have determined that, it may be best to separate from that employee.  

Something we learned a while back was “hire slow, fire fast” — take time when hiring employees. It will save you time in the long run. If you do happen to hire a toxic employee or they become that way over time, do not drag your feet. Have the conversations, try to save the employee, but if they are not improving within a designated amount of time, you will need to separate to limit other damages that may be happening to other employees and the overall culture of your company. 

Simply Affordable Roofing is owned and operated by Chris & Kendall Ekerson and Brandon & Nalani Smith. See their full bios here.