The Business Clinic

May 21 2008 By Iain Laing

OCTOBER

What is your advice for recruiting and retaining the best people?

TOM MAXFIELD, board member of the Entrepreneurs’ Forum and co-founder of Tom’s Companies, comprising Seaham Hall and the multi-award-winning Serenity Spa, Lake District hideaway The Samling and Newcastle restaurant Fisherman’s Lodge.

"Recruiting good people is more of an art than a science and it should be subjective rather than objective. We make a point of recruiting for attitude. Will the candidate fit in and quickly become part of the team? Is the chemistry right? Of course, check out professional qualifications and relevant experience but don’t be afraid to take someone less qualified or less experienced if you think it’s a better fit with your style and your culture.

Retaining the best people is easy. Treat all your staff as if they were your customers. Value them, respect them, praise them and reprimand them but make sure they always know where they stand. And create a culture where they treat each other with respect."

JAMIE GREENWOOD, managing director of NJL Yorkline, Gosforth-based designers, manufacturers and installers of commercial furniture systems.

"I’ve found recruiting the best people extremely difficult. When developing a business, natural instinct is to spend as little cash as possible, which works well in many areas but my experience is that it’s false economy for recruitment. If you have the best people on board, your business stands a better chance of flourishing.

I’ve tried most methods of recruitment and head hunting works best for me. It costs a little more but these costs are outweighed by securing immediate experience and performance. Retaining the best people is essential for any business. However, I’ve found that it’s not an exact science. Sharing success is a good start.

Some colleagues are motivated by cash, others by working environment, opportunity and lifestyle."

IAN BAGGETT, managing director of property consultants Adderstone Group and the Forum’s reigning Entrepreneur of the Year

"People with a track record or desire to be great at what they do, whatever that might be. We can teach them the rest."

LORNA MORAN, vice-chairman of the Entrepreneurs’ Forum and founder and chief executive of NRG Group

"Make sure you know exactly the job you are recruiting for and make sure it’s the vacancy you think it is. Write the brief only when you have complete understanding of the role. Don’t concentrate only on the details of the job but consider the competencies needed to do it. Recruit on attitude over experience every time. Look internally. Encourage internal applications because if you are an ambitious business, you will have ambitious people. Someone being good at their own job is no reason to keep them in it; they may be even better doing something else. Recruitment is a huge responsibility, so if you don’t want to pay for professional recruitment services and you’re doing it yourself, make sure you devote appropriate time to preparing, checking and double checking candidates, following up references and so on. Thoroughness is the key."