Brooklyn's Progress
August/September 2007

BY JILL SHEEHY

Any small business owner knows that employees create the backbone of a company. An owner may start out wearing many hats, but if all goes well, you not only can afford to expand – you have to. It’s hiring the right person for the job that sometimes presents a problem.

Thankfully, the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce's Small Business Seminar Committee, in cooperation with the Brooklyn Business Solutions Center, presented an informative and enlightening seminar on June 19, called “Hiring Smart: Bringing on Help Without Hurting Your Business.”

The panel discussion brought together experts in the field of law and human resources: labor law specialist Martin Gringer, Esq., Franklin, Gringer & Cohen, P.C., Alina J. Kwasnicka, of Success Focused Solutions and Dexter Lathuillerie of Accord HR.

Mr. Gringer spoke first about the legal ins and outs of hiring. Being an attorney for 32 years and specializing in labor law, he has seen his fair share of lawsuits. He pointed out how there was a common thread with many people who chose to sue for wrongful termination.

“These were not the best employees,” he said. “We discovered resume fraud, and not only poor performance with our client, but with past employers as well. We started to think maybe the best thing was to hire the right people in the first place.”

Mr. Gringer put together a risk management program, designed to help minimize a business' exposure to employment litigation. It involves taking steps both before and after you hire, such as having comprehensive anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies in place, investigating complaints promptly and thoroughly, and Employment Practice Liability insurance (EPLI).

But how do you get the right candidate for the job to begin with? That’s where the next speaker, Ms. Kwasnicka, came in. A human resources professional, she stressed the importance of the hiring process, and how it should not be rushed.

She talked about working on job descriptions well in advance of actually hiring, even if you can’t afford to expand at the moment. The more you become familiar with what you need in a hire, the better the chance is that you will choose the right person.

Ms. Kwasnicka said that being picky with resumes is well worth the time and effort. Start selecting resumes that meet your essential requirements, then pare them down to those you prefer. She also suggested a telephone screening to determine if you should use your time meeting the person.
 
And upon that first meeting, be on the lookout. “If their best foot forward is not up to your standards – don’t bother. It’s not going to get any better,” she warned.

Another key ingredient is the employee handbook. It may seem like a formality, but nothing stands up to the test of being able to say your employee knew the procedures.

Finally, Mr. Lathuillerie spoke about retaining the cream of the crop that made it in.

He pointed out that management is the only component of your business that your competitors cannot duplicate. He advised to manage to employee strengths, and give away recognition so you can keep the money.

Encouraging employee feedback is also a valuable tool in getting employees to buy into the company and its philosophy.

“Performance is going to come from what you didn’t hire them to do,” he said.

Small Business Smarts
Mr. Gringer said afterward that hiring smart is something many small businesses should be concerned with.

“They don’t have the same resources that a bigger company has, so they are more likely to run into problems. You need to be sensitive to the fact that problems could occur and have something in place.”

He did recommend that if you are forced to let someone go, keep it short and sweet.

“It’s like a breakup – you don’t want to rehash everything,” he laughed.

To learn more about the Chamber’s business seminars, contact Rick Russo, Director of the Brooklyn Business Solutions Center at 718-246-5219 ext. 2023, or at rrusso@brooklynchamber.com.