Worcester Business Journal

22 Worcester Business Journal | May 11, 2020 | wbjournal.com 10) Documentation. A good starting place is con- firming job descriptions, employee handbooks and job specific training guides are accurate. 9) Internal candidates and referrals. For mid to senior level openings, hiring from within can be the best solution in terms of employee satisfaction and ensuring a successful fit. Additionally, asking your staff to refer interested applicants from their person- al networks can be a rewarding strategy. 8) External sourcing. If you are interested in capitalizing on the area's robust colleges and univer- sities, Handshake is a great tool. This website allows you to post a single job opening, which is then advertised to several institutions of your choosing. 7) Pre-interview communication. While this infor- mation may have been shared, discussing the basics of your company and the position can help you iden- tify if the applicant is a good fit on paper. Ideally you will be thrilled to uncover the applicant is interested in what you have to offer or you could be thankful to identify they are not a good match early on. 6) Application. Receiving a completed application prior to the interview can generate worthwhile discussion topics outside of what is shared through a resume and cover letter. Review your application to make sure it is compliant with updated state laws regarding criminal background and wage history. 5) Interview. Large interviewing committees can be intimidating. The applicant's hypothetical future su- pervisor, in addition to a leader from the department with the job opening, is a great start in identifying who needs to be present to conduct the interview. 4) Reference checks. They can reveal meaningful insights, even if they only bolster your confidence. A small percentage of the time, you will speak with references who provide surprisingly critical statements. 3) Orientation. Thoroughly outlining the new hire's first few weeks can be immensely helpful. Think through the best way to ease this individual into their new role by defining which responsibilities to teach first. 2) Introductions. In small companies, this could be introducing the new hire to each staff member indi- vidually. In a larger firm, this could be introducing the new hire to a contact person from each department. While basic, forming these one-on-one connections outside of the new employee's dedicated work group is crucial in making the employee feel welcome. 1) Follow ups. Especially in circumstances where the direct supervisor is not conducting the hands-on training, the supervisor should aim to follow up with the new hire regularly. Prompting new hires to ask any questions or share any concerns can help minimize their confusion and stress, which should help the chances of the new employee becoming a long-term team member. K N O W H O W COVID-19's impact on businesses owned by people of color 10 1: M ain reasons for restructuring or reorganizing a business involve the departure of a key person, overlapping roles or new busi- ness objectives, such as entering a new market. Here are a few main consider- ations when leading a reorganization. Communicate, more than you think you need to, advises Harvard Business Review. Employee communication should be planned, with basic informa- tion first, such as what will happen when and who will be affected. Don't try and get employees engaged or excited about changes too soon. "ey won't listen, and you'll come across as detached," says HBR.org. Communication should go beyond email cascades and involve face- to-face talks and two-way conversations. HBR points out communication should focus on what matters to employ- ees – not necessarily return on invested capital – using Elon Musk as an example. "Musk says … 'People at Tesla, SolarCi- ty, and SpaceX feel that they are doing things that matter: If we can advance sustainable energy by 10 years, that is 10 years of less carbon,'" according to HBR. Don't forget stakeholders, such as customers and suppliers. With em- ployees as a primary consideration in a company reorganization, it can be easy to overlook others who need to be clear on the initiative's details and under- stand why it is happening. Management consulting firm McKinsey & Co. calls this tendency to only look within as navel-gazing. e revamped organiza- tion should work better for everyone, it says in a 2016 quarterly article, especially clients. "Don't add additional steps or expect them to navigate the complexity of your new organization by having to speak to several people. When salespeo- ple are friendly with their B2B custom- ers – something most companies would encourage – it's hard to keep the reorg a secret." After designing a reorganization strategy, test it. It helps your company implement your strategy. eBalanceCa- reers.com's Dan McCarthy calls testing an important final step. Discuss "how various business processes would work within the new structure. ese 'what if ' discussions help fine-tune the structure and clarify roles," he says. 1 0 T H I NG S I know about . . . ...Recruiting & onboarding BY JASMINE J. ORTIZ Special to the Worcester Business Journal F or the past month, we have been feeling the effects of being isolated from our loved ones and friends, and for communities of color this becomes even more striking. Many of us come from cultures revolving around group gatherings, and even in our businesses, barbershops, hair salons, laundromats, and bodegas are centers of community news, family outings, and new connections. COVID-19 has changed all of this: no parties, hair appointments, no physical connections with loved ones outside of the nuclei family unit. is is daunting as our families on average are larger, and in some cases, the nuclei encompass at least three generations of folks living together. Compounded by the fears of the virus, business owners of color are being disproportionately le out of the federal bailout Paycheck Protection Program. So, how can we support business owners of color at this time? Engage small business owners of color in your networks; if you have a local business attorney you trust, connect with local owners to ensure they have a point person like an attorney to submit their PPP application. Between language barriers, absence of a proven business network in the mainstream community, and the lack of information on the how-to for the application process, these business owners are being le behind. As a realtor, I work to integrate a diverse referral partnership with other small business owners; and I've noticed one of my contractor partners did not know how to apply for the PPP, so I recommended my attorney. is is no cost to them, and yet, many small business owners do not know the lender is the one that pays the attorney. Access to capital has never been easy, but in today's pandemic, it is complicated. Reaching out to each other and translating the fine print is essential. With the advent of the $2-trillion CARES Act, and all these public grants, Small Business Administration loan programs and even in the private sector, companies are stepping up with grants and loan programs to help small business owners. is is a good time to engage your local business owner of color and let them know about these programs. Pivoting a small business sustained and nurtured by customers of color. While many of us think of large-scale pivoting by large companies, such as Twitter, Starbucks, and Apple, we can see how smaller businesses driven by customers of color have unique challenges. Not only does a business owner of color have to create new opportunities to expand revenue by introducing new products or services, but the way it is done within the guidelines of health and safety in the times of COVID-19 pandemic creates unique opportunity, which make it a necessity to survive. A business serving or selling products catering to cultural needs must reimagine how they deliver to the customer. Some businesses may deliver at home deliveries, others may need to transmit services online; but this is a challenge for many with limited financial resources. e final take away. When we return to work and engage with our local neighborhood businesses and their employees, this moment will be characterized on how well we supported the most marginalized sectors in our industries. Jasmine J. Ortiz is a realtor with Gallagher Real Estate Co., and will be the team leader for its new Worcester office opening in June. Reach her at jasmine@gogallagher.com. BY SUSAN SHALHOUB Special to the Worcester Business Journal By David Oliva David Oliva is the general manager of Organomation, a manufacturer of laboratory evaporators used in sample preparation, based in Berlin. You may reach him at davido@organomation.com. W W R E O R G A N I Z A T I O N L E A D E R S H I P W

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