As a manager, you can influence personally the turnover within your organization by doing, or not doing, the following:
Carefully assess the job or applicant. All too often, we idealize a job, hoping to lure a potential candidate on board. Similarly, we frequently aim for credentials that sound impressive but have little to do with what the employee really needs for the job. In short, people are hired on false pretenses and offered quick advancement and varied assignments, even when this will not be the case. A job candidate who discovers the truth may re- main for a while but, in time, may begin to search for another job.
Provide training. We can all stand to learn. But for the new employee, or any employee with a change in responsibilities, training is critical. If you don’t offer this training or training that offers increased employability, then you’re setting up your employees for frustration and failure.
Clarify goals. Too often, employees are overwhelmed by conflicting demands or infuriated by requirements that appear only when it’s too late to incorporate them into their work. People have to know their responsibilities and the priorities that affect them. Have you communicated with your employees? Stop and ask what they think the priorities are—you may be surprised. If they aren’t clear, take the time to communicate so that there’s no confusion.
Offer clear, consistent instructions. Don’t assume employees will do the job according to your expectations. Make sure you have told them the parameters to which they must adhere.
Provide feedback. Employees want to know when they’re doing well and want to receive helpful redirection when they’re not. You are the major source of that feedback.
You and the Law
The five federal EEO statutes that have had the greatest impact on hiring practices are:
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (1964). It protects individuals against employment discrimination on the basis of race and color, national origin, gender, or religion. It was the first federal statute to protect against discrimination in employment, and it continues to have significant impact on hiring practices today, prohibiting both intentional discrimination and the use of seemingly neutral hiring practices that disproportionately exclude minorities and that are not job related.
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (1967). It prohibits discrimination in employment for individuals age 40 and over. While the statute does not specifically prohibit employers from asking an applicant’s age or date of birth, this type of inquiry may indicate a possible intent to discriminate and would be closely scrutinized for its relevance to the job.
The Immigration Reform and Control Act (1990). It prohibits discrimination based on national origin but also requires employers to obtain verification of an applicant’s right to work in the United States. Note that U.S. citizenship is not required in most cases. If you impose citizenship requirements or give preference to U.S. citizens in hiring or employment opportunities, you may be in violation of IRCA unless a particular job has a legal requirement.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (1990). This act prohibits discrimination against a qualified individual with a disability, if the individual can perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. The ADA covers both physical and mental impairments.
The Civil Rights Act (1991). It allows an applicant to seek compensatory and punitive damages for willful discrimination—for discrimination based on gender, religion, and disability. It also provides for a jury trial for the plaintiff. This act does not extend protection to any characteristics not already covered under Title VII, but it does create steeper consequences—via a jury trial—for employers who violate the law.
Tips
Be sure to avoid all interruptions during interviews.
During interviews, spend 75 percent of the time listening, 25 percent of the time talking. You have two ears and one mouth—listen twice as much as you talk.
Ask open-ended questions—that is, those that require more than a simple yes or no answer.
Assume that resumes involve some creative writing. Probe for the facts. Invite employees to meet with final candidates to get their perspective on applicants if you feel such a process will encourage teamwork once the final choice comes on board.