Hiring Older Workers

In many areas the only workers that are available are older workers...those over 50 years of age who may be trying to re-enter the workforce or they may be trying to change occupations or jobs. The older worker can be one of the most valuable resources of your business.  The following are a few things to consider when hiring a 50+ worker.

1. Ask for a resume, review it carefully.  Look for gaps in employment and frequent changes in employer. 
2. The older worker often has extensive experience, both in dealing with difficult people and situations but also in organization and planning. 
3. I recently heard the comment that older workers show up, on time, ready to work and without attitudes. 
4. Older workers can be more flexible in their schedules, they don't have young children to consider when making work commitments. OR they can be more rigid, they have done the crazy work schedules and now they are looking for stability and routine.  Neither is right or wrong, but as a potential employer you will want to find out which it is. 
5. The job may be a secondary income and therefore money is not the most important thing.  A few well thought out questions will tell you what the employee's motivation is and if the job your are offering can fill it. 
6. Is the potential employee energetic or have they perhaps started the "slowing down process" Again there isn't anything wrong with someone wanting to slow down a bit, but that will not make them suitable for all jobs.  Match the person to the job and be careful not to rework the job to suit the candidate. 
7. Check references.  
8. Has the employee been a senior manager, a business owner or an executive?  They may be used to making the decisions with little input from others. Will this work in your business? 
9. Ask about vacation plans. Travel and family vacations may be high on the employee's list of priorities.  See if there may be conflicts with times that are going to be demanding in the workplace. 
10. Will an older employee fit into the company culture? Do they have the skills that are needed to do the job? 

5 Tips for Employees, 5 Tips for Employers

Employees:

1. Show up on time
2. Leave the attitude at the curb
3. Ask if you don't understand
4. Remember your employer has to earn money in order to pay you
5. Contribute ideas and suggestions 

Employers

1. Provide training, employees are not usually mind readers
2. Know what you expect and clearly communicate your expectations
3. Be pleasant, don't take your bad mood out on employees
4. Treat everyone with dignity and courtesy
5. Enjoy what you do and others will enjoy being around you.

Building Your Team

Every business owner relies on so many people to make his/her business a success. Sometimes in the day to day we forget about our advisors and our employees. The following ten tips are to help you build and keep a great team.

1. Hire people to fit the job, don't design the job to fit the people. This is a mistake many business owners make especially when hiring the first few employees.  Just because you have a great rapore with someone doesn't mean they are the best employee choice.
2. Hire a team player BUT in many cases this person must also be able to work independently 
3. Employees should show initiative within the guidelines your provide
4. Don't hire a "yes" person, your business needs the very best.
5. Take a page our of Bill Gates' playbook and hire people who are better than you are. Your business needs the very best, hire the brightest and the best.
6. It is your responsibility to make sure you know what you expect from your employees ( job descriptions are good tools) and to share those expectations with the employees (regular reviews of performance as a minimum)
7. What advisers do you need? You may want an accountant, a lawyer, an IT or computer consultant and maybe a website designer to name a few. The larger your business and the more diverse your markets the more specialists you will need access to. Know what to expect from each of your advisers...make sure that everyone's expectations are the same. 
8. Do your employees have the attitude and the ability to do the job you are asking them to do? If not can you provide the training required. Attitude is another matter, there is little you can do to change an employee's attitude. 
9. Check references, for potential employees and for all advisers you hire. Ask the hard questions, know exactly what you are getting. Make an informed decision, not a decision that is the path of least resistance and work. 
10. Just because you have a good team in place don't assume that will continue, monitor, train, encourage, make adjustments as required and make sure your expectations are clearly communicated.   Also a well deserved word of praise goes a long way.