...and how to recruit the best franchise staff
Regardless of the quality of your product or service, the reputation of your brand or the size and success of the franchise system supporting you, the success of your franchise business lies largely in your staff. Good staff are the backbone of any business, but finding the right people can be time consuming, frustrating and sometimes even fruitless. However, if you get it right, your franchise will be much better for it.
Learn from others
Your first port of call should be your franchisor. How can they assist with recruitment? They may have recruitment tools available or advertising channels to use. Can you learn from others? Speak to other franchisees in the network – maybe they have staff looking for new opportunities or maybe they have some advice for recruiting? One of the biggest advantages or being part of a franchise system is the support that’s available. So be sure to use it.
Don't be hasty
Employing the wrong person can be costly and damaging to your franchise business. Therefore, if you advertise and interview, and no one seems quite right, try again. If that doesn’t work, take a break and try again later. Think of ways you can make do until you get it right - maybe one of your existing staff members could step into the role temporarily, maybe you could hire a temp or offer overtime, or maybe you could spread the role over multiple people to share the load.
Also, it pays to keep the details of people who have expressed an interest in the past or who may have just missed out on a role previously. You could always get back in touch to gauge their interest and availability.
Know who you want
Finding the right person is not just about finding a particular skill-set. It’s about finding someone who fits with your culture – they should have the personality to fit in with the existing team, and they should share the ethos and vision of your franchise business and system. A perfect choice would also have all the desired skills but remember, skills can be learned, but beliefs and ethics, are not so easy to influence.
Look for difference
Don’t be tempted to build a clone army. Successful teams thrive on difference, which doesn’t just mean gender and ethnic diversity, but also personality types. A whole team of type A personalities isn’t going to work, just like a whole team of big picture thinkers isn’t going to work if there is no one to provide a reality check.
Think outside the box
Recruitment isn’t always the answer. If you have a skills gap, it’s a good opportunity to review the way things are running. Maybe you don’t need to fill the position with someone new. Maybe you already have someone who would be keen for more responsibility or someone who is a quick learner or who would be keen to try something new. This way, you’ll save on recruitment and on-boarding costs and you’ll increase job satisfaction for the valued staff you have.
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