In any field, whether it be sports, arts, or business, one factor makes a huge difference in whether or not you succeed. How hard you train.
Those who succeed are the ones who've focused a lot of effort on becoming the best that they can be in their field. They train and practice to understand their strengths and weaknesses (and those of their competitors) and constantly seek to learn more to improve their performance.
Managers in the staffing and recruiting industry have a couple of pain points to overcome where training is concerned. First there's employee turnover. Kind of ironic, isn’t it? Those of us who are experts at finding “just right” talent are the ones struggling with a turnover rate that’s somewhere between 30 and 60 percent – too high. High turnover means we’re constantly training new employees. Second, even though there are many industry-specific training resources available, managers sometimes find it hard to justify the cost and expense of training.
Here’s a way you can address both problems. Implement the tips below to great employee training to improve your coaching program. Better training will improve the job satisfaction of your team so your employees will stick around. More importantly, great training will improve their ability to win.
Tip #1: Customize Training
Considering the high turnover rate in recruiting, you might think, “Who has the time to customize training?” However, your staffing agency team members have different work and learning styles. They will learn more effectively and be more receptive to training if you coach per their individual styles, not your own.
A recent article from Harvard Business Review recommends training per employees’ work characteristics. For example, your goal-oriented, focused back office employee should be coached with a focus on achievement. When training a recruiter who’s a big-picture thinker, get them thinking by asking for their ideas. While reviewing best recruiting strategies, have the recruiter explain her ideal process for using social media to recruit JAVA engineers.
You can also customize training per how someone learns. Auditory learners would be better trained by a verbal explanation about prioritizing job orders. A social learner on your sales team should be trained in a group session where he explains to colleagues about the agency’s new referral program.
Tip # 2: Train on Multiple Methods
To be successful, your team needs to employ multiple methods of approaching talent and clients. Coach them to use a number of tactics, both traditional and technological.
“Just sourcing online will leave recruiters short of the quality talent required to fill requirements,” says Scott Wintrip, president of The Wintrip Consulting Group. “A complete approach to sourcing, including direct sourcing and networking from non-client companies, will help recruiters [better] engage.”
Younger recruiters at your agency may need to be trained on best practices for making phone calls or be given a template to follow when writing a (gasp!) hand-written note. Senior recruiters may need training about tracking emails in their staffing software, using Twitter to find talent or sending out text messages to pools of tech talent, such as app developers.
Tip # 3: Bolster Struggling Employees
Every staffing agency manager periodically has a great employee who’s struggling to meet quota. It’s crucial to intervene so you can help them boost performance. Give a struggling employee specific daily and weekly goals with regular follow up.
“Put the individual in ‘intensive care,’” says Amy Bingham, staffing industry consultant and coach. “If you only meet with this person once a week currently to review progress, step it up to two or three times a week, or even daily huddles if needed.” If you fail to see improvement after a few weeks, your employee may be facing personal life stressors or be feeling disengaged.
You can also help your staffing agency employees feel more engaged overall by creating a culture that is empowering and innovative. Encourage back office employees to offer solutions when credentialing is backlogged or time cards aren’t being submitted on time.
Tip #4: Practice and Assess
Training that doesn’t stick is a waste of everyone’s time. You can better train your staffing team by practicing what was taught and then assessing successes and mistakes.
“Train your team and give them an opportunity to practice,” says Mike Lejeune, recruiting strategist. “Nobody absorbs everything 100 percent. For example, train, role play and then have them make five recruiting calls. Go back and listen and [break] calls down into phases.”
After the training, find situations where members of your team used the instruction and assess how it worked. Give kudos at the next team meeting to a recruiter who started publishing compelling articles on LinkedIn about manufacturing and saw an increase in placements of engineers.
Tip # 5: Don’t Forget Your Own Training
The last secret is for you to carve out time for your own management training. I know, you’re busy training everyone else! However, it’s important for you to prioritize your professional growth as well. Whether you undergo training about improving employee engagement or using staffing software to analyze operational and financial data, the recruiting industry changes quickly. You need to stay up-to-date to boost your own job satisfaction. Your attitude trickles down to your team. Stay engaged so your team will continue learning, too.
Get Into The Gym
Working in the staffing and recruiting industry means that your team may experience considerable turnover. Constantly training new employees can be time consuming. But if you've got a strong, proven training program in place, you can manage the time and the associated costs better. Improve how you coach by customizing training for employees’ characteristics, teaching them about multiple methods and assessing what has been learned. You’ll then have fully engaged employees, see reduced turnover and get more enjoyment out of your management duties, too. Plus, you'll see them win more every day.