Help for Best Hiring (and Firing) Practices

Maybe it’s evidence that our economy is really improving and our organizations have more resources to make long-overdue budget and program to expansions? Or, maybe, as our society ages, more longtime volunteers and donors are making the “ultimate gifts” through generous bequests in support of critical operating needs? Or, maybe, volunteer and employee turnover continues to reoccur and has us looking for solutions to end the cycle that plagues our organizations? Whichever the reason, Spokes has received a rash of recent inquiries and requests for assistance in hiring new employees (especially executive leaders), staff restructuring and mergers. In response to these inquiries, we’re pleased to offer a few quick resources and announce the launch of our new Executive Search Services!

Hiring a new employee can elevate your entire organization when you hire the “right” person. Likewise, it can be downright treacherous and cause lots of expensive and collateral damage for the organization and other staff when you hire the “wrong” person. “Background Checks Vary but Need to Be Robust and Fair” by Eden Stiffman, an article recently published by the Chronicle of Philanthropy, offers some practical considerations for researching a candidate before making an offer. Suggestions include using a third-party to conduct a verified background check and establishing a formal policy regarding if/how social media will be reviewed as part of your candidate evaluation. Read the full article here.

NOTE: If your organization would like to conduct background checks on candidates, remember that the California Association of Nonprofits has discounted services available to its members. Your insurance provider may also have cost-effective options for you. And, if you have a payroll services contractor like Paychex, you may have access to employee screening services through your payroll processor. Remember to budget these checks into your search and hiring costs as they can be expensive.

Often, hiring a new employee is proceeded by the unfortunate reality of dismissing another one. The best practices for dismissing an employee due to reorganization are different from the best practices of dismissing an employee for performance-related issues. Read the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s article, “Advice: How to Know if it’s Time to Fire an Employee” by Pratichi Shaw, to learn what steps are best to take for your specific situation. And, the Chronicle’s article “Terminating an Employee: Handling the Aftermath in Your Organization” also by Shaw offers additional advice to help guide your organization through the after-affects of any employee changes.

Looking for a little more hands-on help? Spokes may have just what you’re looking for! We’ve recently finalized and launched our NEW Executive Director Search Services to assist you in finding your organization’s next great leader. We offer a full suite of services from soliciting and evaluating candidate applications to facilitating your interview and decision-making processes. Services can be provided “a la carte” or comprehensively, based on your organization’s unique needs. For more information, please complete our online consulting inquiry form or call our offices at 805-547-2244.