{"id":43968,"date":"2023-10-20T15:32:27","date_gmt":"2023-10-20T15:32:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/startupsmart.test\/2023\/10\/20\/three-ways-to-attract-the-best-employees-to-your-startup-startupsmart\/"},"modified":"2023-10-20T15:32:27","modified_gmt":"2023-10-20T15:32:27","slug":"three-ways-to-attract-the-best-employees-to-your-startup-startupsmart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.startupsmart.com.au\/uncategorized\/three-ways-to-attract-the-best-employees-to-your-startup-startupsmart\/","title":{"rendered":"Three ways to attract the best employees to your startup – StartupSmart"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By Nick Cloete<\/em><\/p>\n

When a cafe posted a controversial and overly demanding online job ad for a line cook, it went viral because of its 44-point list of employee requirements.<\/p>\n

With desirable qualities like \u201cYou do it right…even if it\u2019s a pain in the ass and tedious\u201d, the ad said as much about the employer as it did about what they were looking for.<\/p>\n

The business in question \u2014 a cafe in the US called FARMbloomington \u2014 had been burned by bad staff before. But with the list of harsh demands including turning up to work sick to prove your ill health, it\u2019d be surprising if they attracted anything but the mediocre.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no doubt the quest for good talent is tough, no matter what the industry. Startups and small business are almost totally reliant on dedicated staff to build the business from the ground up. A hiring mistake can mean a major setback.<\/p>\n

For example, the company I head relies on superstar staff working tirelessly but we don\u2019t find them by blasting a list of harsh and unrealistic demands.<\/p>\n

As FARMbloomington shows, it\u2019s a fast track to bad hires. Instead we ask our employees to recommend staff. It\u2019s also important if you\u2019re in the software industry, for example, to be building a great product and a good team in order to attract A-graders.<\/p>\n

Netflix is a great example of a company that hires its ideal employees. Its culture is one that demands \u201cexcellence\u201d in employees. While difficult to immediately identify this, Netflix uses a probationary period during which all employees must prove themselves. If new employees don\u2019t go above and beyond to demonstrate \u201cexcellence\u201d, they\u2019re let go of \u2014 with a generous package.<\/p>\n

Although this sounds harsh, Netflix offers more than just a demanding probationary period to attract its workers from the get-go; it offers autonomy. Once employees have proven themselves, they work flexible hours, take limitless sick- or vacation leave, are well paid and receive great benefits.<\/p>\n

What this approach to staff means is that Netflix is now a global giant. Its hiring risks paid off and its massive growth is directly attributed to a great team culture and innovative HR policy.<\/p>\n

For my company, it\u2019s meant growth as a hospitality platform for point of sale in cafes, restaurants and bars against Silicon Valley giants like Square, or legacy platforms like Star Mircronics.<\/p>\n

There are a few things we\u2019ve learnt along the way that mean we are never driven to the frustration of listing the 44 points we need in a team member.<\/p>\n

1. Build a great brand and talent will emerge<\/h3>\n

Remember when businesses used to hire with a sign on the shop front door? It\u2019s a fast way to attract new staff, but you\u2019ll risk hiring someone with no knowledge of your brand or product. And you\u2019ll be sorting through mediocre applications for days.<\/p>\n

We pride ourselves on building a great product and an A-grade team that want to act in the best interests of the business and brand. By focusing first on our product and having a dedicated team that puts the product first, we naturally attract talent.<\/p>\n

Creating a great product with a strong team is our version of the old sign on the door.<\/p>\n

2. Don\u2019t go for low-hanging fruit<\/h3>\n

Too often we\u2019ve seen startups settle for average staff because they just need the numbers.<\/p>\n

We are more scientific about how we fill roles: we focus on hiring people who are talented, the right cultural fit, and, most importantly, love our product.<\/p>\n

We do this by targeting people through existing employee networks, who already know about our brand and product.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve done your job as an employer and created an excellent work environment, your current employees are the last people who\u2019ll want to mess that up. They know what the score is, they know what you expect, and they know what the rewards are.<\/p>\n

They\u2019re not going to recommend someone who would jeopardise this.<\/p>\n

3. Hire only the best and do your best to keep them<\/h3>\n

First, make sure you\u2019re bringing on the right talent for the role by using the first two steps. And then you need to keep them.<\/p>\n

The thing about great employees is that they\u2019re generally trustworthy and reliable. Keeping great staff is often as simple as remaining true to the culture that initially attracted them to your business.<\/p>\n

Be respectful, kind and straightforward about expectations. When you praise them, be specific. Don\u2019t just say \u201cthanks\u201d for a job well done – let them know exactly what you\u2019re thanking them for. And tell them without being prompted what their value is to you and the business.<\/p>\n

And give them rewards when they perform well – money is great motivation.<\/p>\n

Nick Cloete is CEO of Kounta, an Australian cloud-based point of sale software designed for retail settings.<\/em><\/p>\n

Follow StartupSmart on<\/em> <\/em>Facebook,<\/em> <\/em>Twitter,<\/em> <\/em>LinkedIn<\/em> <\/em>and<\/em> <\/em>Soundcloud.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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