The True Cost of a Bad Hire in Your Residential Cleaning Business
Almost every residential cleaning company will make a hiring mistake at least once. Unfortunately, a bad hire can be more than just headache—it can dramatically affect your business. Luckily, there are strategies you can begin using now to help you make better hiring decisions.
But first, it's important to understand that there are several reasons someone may not be an ideal fit for your company. A bad hire is not necessarily a bad person.
Here are 5 reasons employers often fall into the trap of making a bad hiring decision:
1. I needed someone now.
When you're short-staffed, you want to fill a position as quickly as possible. Your cleaning technicians work hard, and it's unfair to expect them to pick up the slack for very long. Unfortunately, rushing to hire can cause major problems. If the quick hire isn't a good fit, training them can put a strain on your employees. It's almost always better to wait a little longer to find someone who can begin pulling their own weight right away.
2. I owed someone a favor.
Your friend or family member calls asking for help finding their nephew/daughter/cousin/friend/neighbor a part-time job. The right thing to do is to hire them, right? It's great to hire someone who comes recommended by someone you know and trust. But it's also important to make sure you'd hire this person if they didn't come through a referral. Protect your business; conduct an interview to confirm the person is someone you can trust.
3. There wasn't anyone else.
Too often, cleaning company owners settle for an employee because there just weren't any other qualified applicants. Don't be afraid to reach out to qualified professionals who didn't apply. In fact, if you're at a restaurant or retail store and received great service from a hard-working, cheerful employee, give them your business card and let them know you have openings for someone with their work ethic and good attitude. You just might be surprised how well this works!
4. They seemed great in the interview.
When you leave an interview with a good feeling about an applicant, it's tempting to immediately offer them a job. Some people come across well in job interviews because they would be a genuine asset to your team; others have a knack for saying (but not actually doing) the right things. Do your due diligence before making an offer. We recommend a second interview by a manager or supervisor on staff, a background check, and a quick call to verify any information they may have lied about on their application or resume.
5. We had different expectations.
The world of residential cleaning is not always glamorous. And while you don't want to scare people away from the opening with your job description, you need to be clear and honest about the expectations you have for your team. A clear job description is one of the best tools you can create to screen out potential bad hires.
Here's a scary statistic: About 80% of a company's turnover is the result of bad hiring, according to Dr. Gary Kustis, an Industrial Psychologist and Management Consultant who specializes in recruitment and hiring processes.
A bad hire doesn't just affect that employee's direct supervisor. It puts extra stress on your other employees, too. Whether they must repeatedly train the bad hire or fix their mistakes, your reliable team members will feel the extra burden.
And that can result in strained relationships between you and your all-star employees. It can also lead to problems (including costly cancellations) with long-standing clients who have come to enjoy working with your usually great team.
You probably won't get hiring right every single time. You may have already made a few bad hires. That doesn't mean you can't improve your processes to better your hiring decisions in the future.
How to Improve Your Chances of Making GOOD Hires
Reflect on Previous Mistakes: Look back at past employees that didn't live up to your expectations. If you can identify a specific problem, you can take steps to prevent hiring another employee who may cause the same issue.
Accept Applications When You Don't Have Openings: Many cleaning companies only solicit applicants when they need to hire someone. This can cause you to miss out on some really great team members.
Give Every Applicant a Chance: Similarly, don't discount inexperienced applicants that would be a good fit for your company otherwise. You can teach someone how to clean. You'll have a hard time teaching someone how to be reliable, trustworthy, and efficient.
Stay in Contact Throughout the Process: Many applicants lose interest in a position when they don't hear from you. Sometimes, things move slowly. If you're interested in an applicant, but won't be hiring for another week or two, let them know. Provide as much information as you can—people appreciate open communication.
Reach Out to Employed People: Many cleaning company owners post a job ad and wait for applicants to come to them. Sometimes, you'll have better luck by reaching out to the passive job seekers who may be interested in your company but already have a job they enjoy (see #3 above).
Have a Thorough Onboarding Process: When you decide you want an applicant to join your team, what next? A clear onboarding and orientation process can prevent missing information and ensure that your new hire's expectations align with yours before they're officially part of the team.
Don't Be Afraid to Get Outside Help: Consider working with a recruiter or employment agency. These services will cost you a little extra money, it may be worth it to avoid the pitfalls of making a bad hire.
Take Solid Notes During Interviews: If you've had a string of bad interviews, someone with a mediocre interview can look like a beacon of hope. Make sure to take notes during all of your interviews so you can correctly remember each person. Would this applicant be an asset to my team? Or were they just better than the person I interviewed before them? Make sure you're looking for the skills you need during interviews.
Be Clear About Your Expectations: You know what your business needs to keep growing, but your applicants probably don't. During every stage of the hiring process, make sure you're clearly explaining what you need and what you expect from your team.
Hiring new employees for your business is a difficult, but necessary, task. Make sure you're doing everything you can to avoid making a bad hire.
