An equipped and capable workforce does not come together by accident. Much training and preparation goes into creating such a team. More so, choosing the right people to join this team is equally important. With a hiring policy in place, an employer can fill open positions with employees that have potential to become company assets.
A written hiring policy brings organization to the hiring process and business at large. It also protects the company from lawsuits that can arise if a job candidate files a discrimination claim. Creating a new hiring policy or revising an outdated version is a priority for a company with one employee, as well as companies with one hundred employees.
Leverage the tools in this post to create a hiring policy that protects company interests and has the potential to build a strong workforce.
What is a Hiring Policy?
A hiring policy lays out guidelines that all company employees will follow when recruiting and interviewing job applicants as well as making hiring decisions. This document identifies department heads hiring efforts and contains a list of criteria they look for in candidates. Companies take liberties to add steps that go along with their brands as long as the policies remain in agreement with discrimination laws.
How to Create a Hiring Policy
When preparing a hiring policy, be sure to keep it simple. It may be easier to read and cite the document if it is laid out categorically rather than written in an essay. Also, delegate a small team or department (usually Human Resources) to organize the policy and use this as a checklist to ensure all pertinent information is included when hiring employees.
- Identify categories of information that will be included. Here are a few examples that often appear on similar lists:
- How to publicize open positions
- How to recruit employees
- Employee characteristics
- Position requirements
- Reasons to reject a candidate
- Include the information that is to be collected from the job candidate whether in written form (i.e. application, résumé) or verbally (in an interview) and how the candidate is to submit this information.
- Also note if any background checks will be conducted before an applicant can be considered for employment.
- In addition, lay out company plans for how it will contact a candidate’s professional references.
Most importantly, pay close attention to discussing the company’s discrimination policy. Clearly list unethical hiring practices and forbid disqualifying candidates because of their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age or disability. “Employers should all have an employee handbook and a hiring policy in place,” says Matthew Kaufman, head of attorney services at Rocket Lawyer. “This helps identify issues to avoid and serves as a legal shield to potential liability in the future.”
Use the Policy
When the policy is complete, distribute it to every person on staff and make sure it is easy to access if applicants or third parties request copies. Then, begin to enforce the procedures laid out in the document. During interviews, actively take notes based on the cues laid out in the brief. When it comes time to make a hiring decision, weigh qualified candidates on how well their traits, skills, education, etc. align with the policy. This will help to eliminate any candidate that is a poor fit for the position and increases chances of hiring a stellar addition to the company’s team.
Share this Post