Getting delegation right

When done right, delegating tasks to staff can increase productivity within the organisation while offering opportunities for employees to further develop new knowledge and skills. However, inappropriately delegating tasks to unsuitable employees can be both time-consuming and ineffective. Here are a few tips to improve the delegation process:

 Assess and pick the right employee

Successful delegating requires an understanding of your employee’s capabilities and their readiness to accept more responsibilities. Ensure that the requirements of the task are aligned with your employees’ abilities and interests.

Include employees in the delegation process 

Collaborating with employees during the delegation and decision-making process can encourage them to commit to the decisions made. Discuss with your employee what the task involves, how it should be done, and the reasons why it needs to be done.

Clearly define the outcomes of the task 

To ensure that the employee completes the task effectively, you should outline the objectives and standards for the task. By having a clear understanding of what is required, employees have better opportunities to be creative in finding ways to complete the delegated tasks.

Articulate performance outcomes 

Ensure that employees understand the importance of the delegated work and the outcomes of completing the task for both you and the employee. Understanding the rewards and consequences of completing the delegated task can act as an incentive for employees to effectively and efficiently complete it.

Have employees recommend solutions when there are problems arising from the task 

By encouraging employees to find solutions, this prevents any prospect of upward delegation (i.e., employees turning to you to solve every problem they encounter when completing the delegated task). In addition, it encourages employees to be more creative and innovative in solving problems.

Whilst effective delegating requires time, it is worth the effort. By delegating effectively, you will provide opportunities for your staff to engage in important and challenging work while at the same time clearing your schedule to work on more important projects. Over time you will notice less 'operational' questions or a reliance on your decisions, and a pick up of when things should be completed by and what quality is acceptable.

 Need assistance managing your leaders?

Psych Press has several options available, such as quick and cost effective online assessment, face to face coaching to identify which performance areas need development, and working with the strengths and weaknesses of the individual to form a long term plan of how your workers can better meet organisational goals through effective delegation.
http://www.psychpress.com.au/psychometric/talent-develop.asp?development-coaching

Reducing staff turnover by keeping your workers happy

The concept that ‘happy workers are hard workers’ is not a foreign concept in any workplace.


Nevertheless, too many businesses struggle to retain their staff and suffer from high turnover rates. 


Ensuring that your workers are satisfied in the workplace can greatly reduce the costs associated with recruitment, training and reductions in productivity due to introducing new staff into your workplace. 


Here are some simple tips to keep your staff where you want them.

• First understand why staff are leaving and address these issues promptly
•  Assess your staff benefits compared to those offered in different companies. If your staff aren’t receiving a similar package, it’s time to re-evaluate
• Increase the flexibility provided in your workplace, particularly for working parents
• Let staff bring their own devices to work and allow them to access social media while on the job. Believe it or not, flexible IT practices have been associated with  increased job satisfaction and workers who use social media are up to 75% more  productive.
• If your industry can allow it allow options for staff to work from home
• Provide workers with responsibility and allow them to use it
• Show your staff respect

By outlining a clear path to performance growth, job promotion, listening to your staff and responding to issues they raise should enable your staff to feel respected and valued.  All key factors when ensuring your staff are happy!

5 tips for giving feedback to unsuccessful candidates 

A candidate has taken the time to apply for a job advertised at your workplace and perhaps attended an interview but you have decided the person-job fit just wasn't right and they have been unsuccessful.  It's hard to do, but it is common courtesy to let them know the outcome.  But if you do this right it doesn't have to be a negative experience! It can actually have some long term benefits for your business; 

• You can save time later-as you won’t have to take any number of calls from candidates trying to follow up at any given time

• You can establish your employer brand in a positive light 

• You also leave the opportunity open to hire the applicant for the future!

One of the most common mistakes employers make during recruitment is giving out generic or impersonal feedback to unsuccessful candidates or failing to give out feedback altogether, due to the inherent difficulty in organising and delivering such feedback. The following information will make giving interview feedback easier.

5 tips on how ensure you are delivering quality and constructive feedback:

1. The feedback should be delivered by the person who conducted the interview. Show that a serious and adequate amount of time and deliberation went into the decision and that the final answer is coming from the person most involved.
2.  Include specific examples of the candidate’s responses and how these responses lead to your decision. Did they discuss experiences that didn’t show strengths required for the role? Did they seem only somewhat vested in the role’s tasks when you need someone extremely dedicated?
3. Try to tie feedback into the job specification. Feedback certainly shouldn’t only be about how they carried themselves during interview, link what they included in a cover letter or resume to the outcome.
4. Think about your tone of voice and the words you use. This can be the major aspect they take away with them that affects your employer brand and their future opportunities.
5. Be prepared for the candidate to disagree with you, in this case remain calm, polite and stick to the facts. Take notes on your key reasoning. 

As part of the constructive and fair feedback, common reasons candidates are rejected are:

• Preparedness: the applicant did not appear to know much about the company or the position they were applying for
• Punctuality: Arriving late for the interview without a valid reason
• Direction: Having a lack of career goals or career plan
• Motivation: Appearing unenthusiastic due to their vague and unelaborate responses or failing to provide useful information about themselves or their perceptions of the role
• Honesty: Lying or being evasive about qualifications and previous work experience
• Duration: Stating that they are only interested in working in the position for a short period of time
• Qualifications: Being overqualified or under-qualified for the position advertised

By completing this process in a courteous, constructive and positive manner you not only promote positive sentiment towards your company but are also contributing understanding to the applicant about how they may approach the hiring process more effectively.

And who knows? Perhaps in the future, you'll be calling to accept them into a different position they are better suited to!