It’s Your Business
- Author: Terry Greenhut
- Subject Matter: Hiring
- Issue: The revolving door
Shop management: Seventh in a series
My ex-partner, who had been in the business more than 30 years when we teamed up, described the auto-repair business as a constantly revolving door in which employees continually came and went. In training me to become a good manager of business and people, he stressed that I had to learn how to accept that fact of life and move forward with my business plan no matter how many employees I had to hire and train only to see them eventually go their own way. He taught me that I had to, as much as possible, leave my emotions at the front door.
I wasn’t supposed to feel bad about losing an employee who I had put a whole lot of time and effort into. I was just supposed to go on to the next one. Although I understood that he had been burned so many times over the years that he trained himself not to care or show it if he did, I had a problem with it. I wanted to know why they left and if there was anything about my management style that was making them go and, if so, how could I fix it.
Over my 25 years of shop ownership my heart was broken several times by good employees leaving but I was also elated when the not-so-good ones quit. Either way my partner turned out to be right about the revolving door. You can’t stop it, but I learned that you can slow it down.
Define the job
It begins at the beginning with recruiting and hiring the right people, but before you put the ad on the internet or sign up for the services of a recruiter, you need to know and define exactly what you are looking for. You can’t just look for a body to fill a void. You need to go after the person you really want even if that process takes some time and costs some money. Hiring the right person in the first place will keep you from going through the hiring and firing cycle too many times unnecessarily. In the long run it should save you money and aggravation.
A clearly defined job description should first be created. The benefits of having it are numerous. It clarifies and establishes expectations of both the employer and the employee and clearly spells out the duties of the position. These elements will minimize, if not eliminate, any possible misunderstandings. It should include the job title, objectives, duties, responsibilities, schedules, activities, authority, measurement of production (if applicable), wages, and benefits. Consider:
- Are there strength, agility, physical requirements, or preexisting knowledge of certain systems necessary?
- Would the job require any kind of a license or certificate to prove competency?
- What type of and how much experience would the applicant need to have?
- Is there a skills test to be passed?
- Is there a physical examination, drug testing and/or a background check to be passed?
- How is employee performance to be evaluated, measured, and rewarded?
- Is this an entry level or an advanced position?
- Will there be a requirement for continuing education to maintain the position?
Narrow the field
As you can imagine, each requirement to be met narrows down the field considerably and that’s perfectly all right. You are looking for that one person who has all the experience and qualities you require. You will probably want to run the job description past an attorney before posting it to be certain that your requirements don’t violate any laws or put you in jeopardy of any lawsuits.
Think about the ideal candidate for the position, not the one you’d be willing to settle for because traditionally shop owners have been too willing to settle. It’s like anything you spend money on, but when you hire an employee you pay for him or her on the installment plan. You pay an installment every week for as long as that employee stays with the company. Would you spend a little more for a really good one or try to make do with a cheaper version?
I’ve heard shop owners say things like, “I could hire two guys for what I’m paying that one.” Yes, in some cases I’m sure they can, but what might those two half-price employees cost in screw-ups, comebacks and additional training costs, not to mention the number of customers that might be lost due to keeping their cars too long or them having to come back several times for the same problem. A good owner or manager will look at the entire picture, not only the amount of salary.
What attributes does a new member of the team need to possess to work well in your shop environment and with you as the boss? Does the applicant enjoy this type of work and is enthusiastic or just seems to be looking for a paycheck? Does he or she have any aspirations to achieve higher levels in the business and is willing to attend seminars and classes either on their own or on company time to further their competency? How willing would this person need to be to accept change and adapt to new methods and programs as they appear? Does the applicant seem to have a personality that will work well with the other members of the crew?
Take your time
Did you ever have Mr. Gloom and Doom working for you? He’s the guy you hope calls in sick on Monday morning because his being there brings the rest of the crew down. He has so many issues and weird characteristics that his presence slows production down even if he himself is a good producer. When he’s on vacation the mood in the shop is light and airy. The day he comes back it’s like this big dark cloud just descended over the shop. He’s also the guy whose work you avoid critiquing because that will always create tension and who you hate to give orders to because you know he will argue each one. He is often a know-it-all who gives advice to everyone whether it is solicited or not. This is the guy who ruins a good number of your Sunday evenings because you’re thinking about how you’re going to have to deal with him on Monday morning instead of relaxing like you should be.
This is also the guy you want to fire every day but can’t make yourself do it because he’s either convinced you or you’ve convinced yourself that the shop can’t run without him. Then one day he just up and quits and you are forced to replace him, so you do, hopefully with someone of his talent level or above and a much better personality. If you find that person it feels like a huge weight has just been lifted off your shoulders. It’s funny, though, that after he leaves other employees come to you with stories about what he was doing to upset the shop, stories they would never have told you while he was there.
What all that means is that you need to be more careful hiring. If an interview leaves you feeling like this person is going to be another big problem for you, don’t hire him or her. Keep looking. There are others out there. Even if not replacing the individual who left takes some time and gets you a little behind on production that’s still better than choosing the wrong person quickly and paying the price for a long time after.
Questions, checks
Have each candidate fill out an application. Actually check references and credit ratings. Even though previous employers may be reluctant to say anything bad about a former employee for fear of being sued, you can often pick up in their tone of voice what they are trying not to say. I used to like to ask a previous employer if he or she would hire this person again. I thought it was a great question till I found out it’s one of those that you aren’t allowed to ask.
With more and more people trying to get something for nothing today the small-business owner has become a major target of frivolous lawsuits, so be very careful when asking questions. I’m not an attorney so I wouldn’t presume to tell you what you are and are not allowed to ask, but it would probably be a good idea to check with a good labor lawyer before you start interviewing.
Make a copy of the applicant’s driver’s license and find out if it is valid. Make sure they have reliable transportation and that there is no reason they can’t get to work on time. Find out what type of tools they own and if they have enough of them to do the work. Ask if they are willing to buy hand tools as needed to do the job.
After the interview is completed never hire on the spot. Tell prospects you will have to get back to them in a few days because you have several candidates to interview. That gives the position value. They will feel like it is important and that they are competing for it.
Trial basis
When you do decide on a candidate, hire on a trial basis and remember that there is a honeymoon phase in which the new employee will be trying to impress you for the first couple of weeks to a month or so. Make sure the trial is long enough for you to make an honest assessment of the employee. If during the trial period the new hire does things that keep rubbing you the wrong way, keep in mind that these traits probably will not improve over time; they will more than likely deteriorate and the longer you keep somebody the harder it is to let that person go.
It is much easier to terminate an employee during the trial period than it is after he or she has become a long-term member of the team and relationships have been formed with you and the rest of the crew. Keep in mind that every new employee comes with baggage. They will all have family, health, legal, or money issues, and the longer they are with you the more you get sucked into their problems, which means the less likely you will be to let them go even if they are doing a poor job or are driving you crazy.
Putting extra time and effort into the hiring process will help you avoid many of the pitfalls of hiring out of desperation and might even help you manage your blood pressure a little better.
