The employee life cycle is from the time you enter a business until the time you retire. It can be a very lengthy cycle, but this is a condensed version. The most important thing about a business isn’t the bottom line (yes, it is important), but also the management. People don’t work for businesses, they work for a boss. Most people enjoy working for a great boss, but if you’re a boss and you can’t keep your employees happy then you’ve got some serious work to do.

From the point you’re hired into a business you’re working on your value to the company. Eventually you’re job will become easier and your value will increase in the eyes of the business as you become more experienced. Other than advertising, which most people say is the biggest expense of a business; employees are up there as well.

H.I.A.R. is a Condensed Version of the Employee Life Cycle

Hire
The H stands for Hire. This is probably the most important step in the employee life cycle because as a manager you need to make sure you hire the best employees as possible. You can’t afford to replace a bad employee later on in the employee life cycle because of the investment you put into that employee. Make sure you choose the perfect employee the first time around.

When you’re doing interviews look for talented employees. Skills can be taught to an employee, but talent can’t be taught to someone – it’s natural. A talented employee will be able to learn something quicker and be more efficient. While you’re interviewing prospective employees it’s important that you make sure you’re ask the right questions. Lastly, make your business a place where people want to work and not a place people dread coming to every morning.

Inspire
The I stands for Inspire. Now that you’ve hired the talented and perfect employee, the hard part begins. You now need to get the employee to work to his/her capabilities and perform the best he/she possibly can. You need to figure out a way to motivate them to work their best. If you can do this you will receive the best efforts and your business will excel.

Make your employees feel like they’re welcomed coming to your business. Don’t exclude the employee from any business activities just because they’re new. Invite them to join you and the rest of the team for a fun gathering, say it be lunch or anything else. Also, being the manager you need to also remember that you need to be a leader as well.

Admire
The A stands for Admire. There’s no relaxing once you’ve hired and motivated your employee. One of the biggest mistakes that managers make time and time again is ignoring their employees. You spent all of that time interviewing them, motivating them, and making them feel like part of the team, don’t just throw it all away. Once you ignore your employees their satisfaction level will decrease. Eventually, they’ll probably leave and will become part of the employee turnover you were trying to avoid.

You want employees that say to themselves “thank goodness it’s Monday” and not the employees who say “thank goodness it’s Friday.” Make sure to give your employees good feedback every so often. It makes them feel good about themselves even if it’s just a good word. Offer rewards and other incentives for your employees to aim for. This will help them become motivated and hopefully be more efficient for your business.

Retire
The R stands for Retire. This is the last step of the employee cycle. This is when you know you were successful. “When employees see your company as the employer of choice, they will join you. When they recognize you as a good boss and a real leader, they will stay around. As long as you continue to inspire, motivate, and challenge them, they will continue to contribute at the high levels you need in order to beat your competition.” Hopefully you’re employees chose your business for the long-term and to retire with. If an employee is satisfied they will help your business grow even after they retire through referrals and passing on a good word about your business.

Going through the employee life cycle is an experience within itself. You will have seen many great, creative, and unique employees pass through your business and you will have learned a lot from each and every one of them. You will have saved a lot of money hiring the best employees from the start and use them for other areas of your business to be even more competitive in your market. You can also give raises and bonuses to the employees and even yourself with the money you saved.

Tags: Business, Employer, Employees, Employee Life Cycle, Jobs, Interview, Interview Process, Motivation

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