Improving the Organization Through Staff Retention and Acquisition
The availability and acquisition of highly qualified staff is top of mind for many school administrators. It’s a complex topic, so I plan to break down each of the following components over the coming weeks, sharing examples and strategies to address each one of the following:
Staff Retention
Hiring Practices
Onboarding
Setting Expectations
Feedback
Applicant Pool
Hiring Practices
Should a position opening exist, the hiring process should reflect the organization’s willingness to take this opportunity to improve performance by not only seeking a great individual for the position, but also building trust through transparency in the hiring process. This includes committing to the following:
Have a clearly articulated hiring process
Objectively and systematically present legal best practices reflected in each process
Broadly advertise the detailed position preferences and requirements
Detail roles and responsibilities of those involved in talent acquisition as well as clearly define decision-making strategies.
Communicate timelines, expectations, and processes to interested candidates
Promote positive characteristics of the organization
Have a Clearly Articulated Hiring Process
Work as a district to develop and refine a district wide hiring process that is uniformly supported and enacted by all supervisors who are charged with making recommendations for hire. This process should be collaboratively created and consistently followed.
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Because hiring practices and procedures are consistently followed, the school community will trust the process as well as the supervisors who implement the established processes and procedures.
Offers of employment are easily defended.
Equitable offers of employment are achieved.
There will be a fair competition for all positions in the district.
The district is assured the most qualified candidates are offered employment.
Candidates have a better experience.
- As successful candidates become supervisors, they will subsequently hire in fair and consistent manners.
District values are articulated and supported.
Better alignment of expectations occurs.
Promoting a sense of professionalism will emerge as a benefit to all.
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The process can take longer to arrive at a job offer.
There can be a lack of flexibility in offering a position.
If the process is not regularly reviewed, practices can become outdated.
What can we do?
Pull together supervisors to periodically review and/or create a consistent process.
Be detailed oriented in the elements of the process.
Ensure all supervisors follow the agreed upon process.
Have the process documented and presented at each hiring event.
Anecdotally Speaking
Supervisors who deviate from the agreed upon process run the risk of conducting a practice that promotes a general lack of trust, potential nepotism, and indefensible decisions. While the candidate chosen may have successfully emerged from the established process, not following the process can cast doubt on the credibility of the successful candidate. Finally, there are examples of staff members who have “benefitted” from preferential treatment subsequently providing preferential treatment once they become involved in hiring others.
Objectively and Systematically Present Legal Best Practices Reflected in each Process
Utilize and/or vet the process through the district’s legal team as well as those responsible for human resources in the district. This will ensure not only a best practices process but one that is also rooted in best legal practices.
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A professional first impression is communicated to prospective employees.
The district is protected from a legal perspective.
The process and outcomes of the process is defensible.
A good faith effort is presented to hire the best and most qualified.
Members of a “work group” who advise the decision maker, grow professionally.
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Legal complexity can oftentimes take precedence over process facilitation.
Increased cost in the development of the process.
What can we do?
Reach out to trusted peers who have developed a process.
Gather several examples of processes.
Enlist the help and support of the district legal team.
Provide periodic training on the use of the process.
Establish support for legal oversight (budget)
Provide clear expectations and feedback through the evaluative process relative to adherence to hiring practices.
Periodically participate in hiring processes
Anecdotally Speaking
A supervisor provided a candidate for a position with vital information about the application process that other candidates would not have access to. This information included general areas to be questioned during the interview, suggestions about potential responses, and “stacking” the working group in favor of the particular candidate. As a result, the candidate was offered the position, hired, and ultimately became a supervisor themselves. In their supervisory capacity, they in turn provided similar information to their “preferred” candidates, thus spoiling the process for years to come. Ultimately, trust eroded in the hiring process, culture was negatively impacted, and both supervisor and hires had more difficulty being successful.
Broadly Advertise the Detailed Position Preferences and Requirements
Advertising open positions in a variety of formats, locations, and platforms will help attract more applicants to the position. The vetting of candidates will eliminate those whose qualifications and experiences do not match preferences and requirements.
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Increased candidate pool.
Increased diversity of applicants.
Greater ability to match applicant characteristics with desired characteristics.
Better decisions made due to greater options presented.
Greater organizational visibility.
Greater focus of applicants around desired preferences and requirements.
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Greater initial investment.
Longer process of identifying who best fits the desired characteristics.
What can we do?
Ensure positions are posted on all typical sites.
Use atypical sites to post including Social Media, Websites, LinkedIn, CareerBuilder and similar platforms.
Connect with peers and colleagues
Clearly differentiate between “preferences” and “requirements”
Initial screening of applicants can eliminate those who do not possess requisite requirements. Depending on the number and quality of applicants, these applicants may be revisited.
Anecdotally Speaking
A supervisor who was interested in completing a hiring process as efficiently, quickly, and effortlessly as possible limited the amount of advertising and received few applicants. The characteristics of the applicants were relatively homogeneous allowing for a quicker decision to be made. As a result, the individual hired, had limited experiences, limited qualifications and performed poorly in the expanded role.
Detail Roles and Responsibilities of those Involved in Talent Acquisition as well as Clearly Define Decision-making Strategies.
Consistently work with selection committees and work groups to clearly identify roles and responsibilities. Articulating the group’s roles, decision making process, and levels of responsibility will make the process move efficiently and smoothly to a successful conclusion.
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Participatory processes are valued.
Trust within the group is enhanced.
Expectations of the group are consistent with the functioning of the group.
Members of the group are clear about their roles and expectations.
Informed decision making is promoted through a diversity of opinions and viewpoints.
Group learning about best practices occurs.
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Clearly articulating roles and responsibilities can inhibit organic communication within the group.
What can we do?
Provide written instructions for the hiring team.
Provide written decision making procedures for the team (Who will make the decision?).
Remind the team often about best practices and expectations relative to the instructions provided.
Emphasize confidentiality as part of the expectations.
Be detail oriented in the instructions.
Team and individual expectations should be a district wide function.
Anecdotally Speaking
A supervisor strictly enforces the rules and expectations associated with the selection process. When interviewing candidates, the team was unusually quiet and rigid in order to ensure they were in compliance with the expectations set forth. The supervisor needed to reassure the group that the supervisor would be responsible for the process and the group could let their personalities come through. Additionally, the supervisor emphasized components that were more legally binding than others in order to put the group at ease.
Communicate Timelines, Expectations, and Processes to Interested Candidates
Given the availability of technology to make communication more efficient, sending information to applicants regarding timelines, expectations and processes will promote good will for the organization and will also provide an internal framework for hire.
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Applicants will know what to expect.
Working groups will understand timelines to make decisions about participation.
The work of the district can be accomplished in a goal oriented manner.
The district will operate in a professional manner advertising to all applicants (whether hired or not) of the quality and care the district takes in all actions.
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Once communications have begun, there will be an expectation of continued communication.
What can we do?
When the position closes, email applicants the timeline for making a decision and offer.
Provide logistical information to appropriate parties including addresses, phone numbers, and pertinent district information.
Periodically update information relative to the hiring process to applicants.
Once a decision to offer has been made, inform the group the decision is “embargoed” until there is an acceptance.
Once the offer is accepted, inform the candidate the information will become public (day, date, time agreed upon).
Once an offer has been accepted, call those who interviewed, thank them, and inform them they were not selected.
Once the day, date, time has passed, inform the work group (once the “no calls” have been made) of the acceptance and that they are free to let others know of the decision, but not the details of their work.
Anecdotally Speaking
Having secured an acceptance, the supervisor informed the work group who notified their peers and word of the hire traveled back to the candidates home district before the candidate had the opportunity to inform their current supervisor. The subsequent conversation between the applicant and their current supervisor was awkward at best, and the subsequent conversation between the new supervisor and new hire was similarly awkward. Work had to be done to rectify this from all involved and the situation was unnecessary. Providing explicit and agreed upon timelines can alleviate this situation and will positively promote the new relationship by seeking agreements prior to actions.
Promote Positive Characteristics of the Organization
In the competitive hiring atmosphere it is important to promote our district and accentuate those qualities that differentiate the district from other districts.
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All applicants will be able to speak positively about the district.
The applicants will be able to match their priorities with those of the district.
Expectations will be identified through the application process.
The professionalism of the organization will become evident.
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The information should be accurate and supported through the use of data.
What can we do?
Develop a brochure to use in a variety of settings.
Make the information available either on the website or an attachment to an email.
Call attention to the information prior to any interviewing thus creating more time during the interview to find out about the candidate.
Promote the information to the school community, including staff, parents, community members and community organizations. This can also encourage constituents to consider working for the district.
The information must be authentic and accurate in the reflection of the district.
Supporting all applicants whether hired or not positively promotes the district.
Anecdotally Speaking
Once the hiring process was completed, the supervisor had positive second and third choices, and thus asked each candidate if the supervisor could have permission to forward their name to districts who may be looking for candidates in similar positions. Once permission was secured, the supervisor contacted districts who were advertising and generally recommended the two candidates.
Being thoughtful and intentional about the hiring process can ensure the event is a trust building exercise as well as finding the best candidates to fill positions. Additionally, the more refined the process is, the more professional the organization will be and the process itself will encourage more people to apply for jobs.
As you work through changes in your organization and/or district, consider using one of our Frameworks (Growth and Change and/or Strategic Growth and Change) found at the following link:
Next week I will focus on the topic of Onboarding.
