Signs to Fire or Keep an Employee: My Thoughts on Recruitment and Human Resource Management

We hired a non-programmer for a programmer position. 

That was our first attempt at recruitment about two decades ago. When our startup needed to fast track the development of our first-ever software product, we figured we needed to hire additional programmers alongside my brother and me.  

We have no experience in recruitment and zero confidence in how to find people. The most convenient option was to convince our cousin Neil and our childhood friend Shotie to learn to code. At that time, they just graduated from college. Neil\’s course was a financial accounting graduate while Shotie was in industrial engineering.

Long story short, we were able to deliver what was needed to be delivered. Our bond was strengthened while working on the product in a small condo unit in Makati. Shotie and I workout and swim at the penthouse every morning. We all played NBA live, Counterstrike, and Warcraft at night or even overnight on weekends.

We worked together from 2002 to 2005. It was one of the best colleagues I ever had. My brother Dann and Shotie pursued businesses of their own while we re-casted Neil to the admin & accounting role.

When they left, we started hiring professionally. At that time, Jobstreet was the dominant platform in recruitment.  

I remember how we just copied ads from Jobstreet and copy interview questions. For a programmer position, I used practical coding exercises from a Java book as their practical exams, and we still use that to this day. We tried several aptitude tests but those weren\’t maintained diligently as we change HR personnel.

Over the years, I have learned a simple approach to recruitment and human resource management. Hire fast and terminate fast.

Yes, practical exams, aptitude tests, interview screening, NBI, and any other clearances are all helpful but evaluating them in their first 1-2 months and firing them immediately for signs that they don\’t fit in the organization is the ultimate key.

But if you find them fit, then the key to keep them is task autonomy and company ownership if you can afford them. If you are a startup or a small business, giving up some shares is a lot less expensive than employee turnover.

Here is my list of negative signs that the person needs to go:

• Someone who does not communicate roadblocks, issues and delays. 

• Someone who constantly deliver late.

• Someone who needs constant motivation.

• Someone who constantly complain.

• Someone who always have personal issues.

Here is my list of positive signs that the person needs to stay:

• You do not doubt that they will deliver.

• Proactive and vigilant but comply with what you have agreed upon even they do not agree at first.

• Someone who you don\’t have any desire to micromanage.  

• Someone who reports critical information without asking them.

• Someone who\’s constantly optimistic, and kind to others.

Recruitment and HR management is one of the important functions in any business especially if you are a service company. So it is important that you establish HR policies that fit to your core values and government compliant.

As a bonus, here are some resources that you need in recruitment:

• Top Job Posting Sites in the Philippines

• Worky – On top of the posting sites above, I would like to introduce worky.ph, a fast-growing recruitment platform in the Philippines with AI functionality to help you match with your applicants.

• Free Aptitude Tests

• Airtable recruitment base. – A simple applicant tracker that you can use.

• HR & Payroll software – the only online HR and payroll software you\’ll ever need in the Philippines.

The next posts in my queue are government compliance in HR, onboarding documents. I am also excited to share how we delegate and assign project tasks, monitor and evaluate thru a framework called \”Commit\”. So I recommend you subscribe to my mail to keep you up to date.

DX your life and business! Have a great day!.

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