As the VP of Engineering and a former HR leader, I have to say the biggest challenge when building a team of engineers and developers is the sheer variety of educational backgrounds and experience. Especially post pandemic, we have seen a lot of excellent engineers come out of bootcamps rather than four year degree programs. This has forced us to make educational criteria less meaningful, as time spent in school is simply not indicative of experience or depth of knowledge anymore. This has opened up our talent pool significantly, and does take a little more time in the vetting process. However, we find it is worth it to have a broader, more diverse range of candidates with valuable specializations.
It can be incredibly difficult to match the draw of California and Silicone Valley with tech candidates, and that difficulty compounds when you\'re a SaaS start-up. Creating an engaging referral program that your current team members want to participate in is key to leveraging their communities to enhance the organization. Couple that with a company culture that your people want to be a part of, and you\'ve something really special.
One of the most challenging part of being HR is to bring in a senior leader into the organization and manage the ripple effects it has on the rest of the leadership and the employees at large. It demands a lot of careful consideration to make sure that the leader integrates well into the company culture, and that their team is brought up to speed on what the company does and how it operates. In addition, this new leader will have different ideas on how to do things, which can sometimes conflict with existing processes. It's important to be able to manage these changes effectively, without disrupting the rest of the organization. It also entails flexibility among the rest of the company. Leaders need to be willing to adapt their styles to fit with the company culture, and employees need to be open to new ways of doing things.
Tracking and complying with ever-changing federal, state, and local employment and labor laws has always been a headache for me as an HR professional. Not only do they change all the time, but they run concurrently and supersede each other as well. With a quickly growing remote workforce, as HR professionals, we find ourselves in a position of constantly having to comply with the newest county or city law, depending on where an employee works. When I had an employee in California let me know she was taking maternity leave, I spent about six hours researching the legal requirements we needed to meet as an employer, as multiple laws played a part in her leave entitlement. I leveraged my membership with SHRM to do a lot of the research. Even though I did not leverage a tool in this example, I can encourage readers to find a more automated solution, such as automated chatbots, that can help save time in the research process and reduce risk by minimizing the manual work.
Since the pandemic, the professional landscape has changed dramatically. Today, employees can choose an employer that meets all of their needs, not just a few. This is their market. and they know it. In a competitive labor market, the easy answer is to have higher wages and total compensation. Not only is that a quick fix, it isn't scalable in the long run, especially in a market where candidates can work virtually anywhere. The importance of pay equity and financial rewards cannot be overstated, but businesses must also keep up with an evolving workforce in order to remain competitive. It is fundamental for employers to provide employees with an exceptional employee experience so they feel appreciated, supported, and recognized. If we do not take care of our employees, then they will find a company that will.
A recruiting challenge we've faced is being able to have the resources necessary to recruit top talent. We are a smaller company and are usually outmaneuvered by larger companies who have more money, newer tech, and better benefits. We deal with it by offering things larger companies have a hard time offering like flexible work schedules, affiliated childcare partners, and wellness benefits.
Excellent applicants frequently receive many offers at once. "The majority of candidates are actively chasing numerous opportunities, which is my biggest issue. I no longer have the luxury of working almost 1:1 with passive candidates, as I formerly did." One remedy: Ensure that the interview goes well. The interview is frequently the decisive factor when a candidate must choose between several offers, with 65% of candidates reporting that a negative interview experience causes them to lose interest in the position. A few strategies ensure the candidate has a positive interview experience. According to LinkedIn data, job seekers frequently ask about the position's duties during interviews, so be sure to elaborate and address all of their inquiries. I am keeping candidates informed after the interview is essential to deter them from getting impatient and accepting another offer.
As a growing business, the biggest challenge we faced when it comes to HR and recruiting is the need to hire fast. The turnover rate in our industry is high, and as we've grown, the number of open positions has increased exponentially. We've had to get creative with our recruiting efforts and introduced a referral system. We asked our current employees if they knew anyone who would be a good fit for the company, and we offered them a bonus if we ended up hiring their referral. We also put up signs in the break room and posted on our social media pages that we were looking for new employees. Within a week, we had a list of potential candidates, and we were able to quickly fill our open positions. The Referral System saved us time and money, and it helped us to find some great new employees.
Answered 4 years ago
There has been a dramatic change in the professional landscape since the pandemic. Employees now have the freedom to choose an employer that meets all of their needs. It\'s their market without a doubt. The easy answer in a competitive labor market is higher wages and total compensation, but that is a quick fix and isn\'t scalable in the long run. The importance of pay equity and financial rewards cannot be overstated, but businesses must also keep up with changing workforce expectations to remain competitive. An exceptional employee experience is vital for employers in ensuring individuals feel recognized, appreciated, and supported both professionally and personally. If we do not take care of our employees, then they will find a company that will.
Candidates find it very difficult to trust the recruiters due to previous experiences in the corporate world. They doubt if their professional goals can be met while getting paid a good amount by the company. This leads to low commitment to the recruiters and the firm. They might avoid interviews or phone calls in the belief that the firm will not give them the right opportunities. It is a common mindset among several candidates. This can be prevented by asking them about their expectation at the very first meeting. When they share their expected opportunities and pay, it gives the recruiter and the candidate enough clarity. Either of the two parties can decide if the expectations can be met and there is no time wasted in mistrust and confusion.
One of the difficulties HR SaaS industry face is competition. Because of this, many recruiters are rethinking how their talent acquisition strategy and are looking for new ways to attract candidates and find the best people to help their company grow. Just what sets your company apart from others? A well-articulated employee value proposition will outline the response. The top candidates are interested in more than just remuneration packages. They seek a combination of cash incentives, non-monetary rewards, an inclusive workplace, fantastic coworkers, and interesting opportunities. Not everything is about creating money for everyone. Some people are motivated by a desire to do good in the world, while others are looking for a flexible schedule that allows them to maintain other important responsibilities.
The Great Resignation was a devastating blow to a lot of HR departments across the industry, but the latest challenge for HR of SaaS companies like mine today is working towards what is called ‘The Great Reengagement.’ There is more pressure for companies to offer a more purposeful experience to employees. In our case, we had to rethink our recruitment process and job offers from the perspective of what will be valuable enough to re-engage candidates today. It took a lot of market research and industry before we were able to create a package that we think was competitive enough to attract the best candidates to our brand. Listening to what candidates want out of a job offer has greatly informed our HR’s decision-making process.
Presenteeism is a pressing issue in workplaces where employees stay in the office even after working hours. Companies doing this practice are perceived to lack genuine concern about their employees' well-being. As a result, they are impacted by the law of diminishing returns, a phenomenon where productivity is below the standard even if employees are present at work. Invest in the right tools to improve productivity and use the technology to supplement the output of human labor. Doing so helps eliminate the need for mandatory overtime, which is an excellent way to reduce presenteeism. When employees are not overworked, they are more energized to perform their tasks, and they will have the enthusiasm to work for the next day.
We have grown over 50% this calendar year across over 20 states and multiple time zones. Our goal is to have a collaborative, cohesive, and communicative team, and to that end we have evaluated and reevaluated our onboarding process, built in programming where people can meet and hang out cross-functionally, and encouraged teams to come up with creative ways to authentically get to know each other. Our People Team regularly checks in with people to build connection and encourage feedback to anticipate issues before they become problems. It\'s an ongoing challenge, and we\'re always learning.
Recruiting the Best Candidates One common recruiting challenge that I have faced and discussing here is; If you've ever tried to find the right candidate in a pool of unqualified candidates, you'll understand how limited your options are. You'll pick the best person available at the time, not the best fit for the job. However, it is not always about the number of applicants; often, the best way to hire the right people is from a smaller pipeline of more qualified talent. Tip: Be specific about the requirements in your job postings and provide a concise overview of the role. To directly address your key concerns, use an application form with 'knock-out' questions.
When establishing a remote workforce, we faced one big concern - how to maintain our relatively high levels of employee engagement without that face-to-face contact. Since our development teams need to collaborate so closely with each other, we addressed those challenges with intentional communications tools and policies. By laying out how, when, and how often our team should be communicating with each other, our team isn’t left with remote communication anxiety - stressing about when to reach out and when to work individually.
With new hires requiring new training programs regularly, predicting what skills will be in demand soon is challenging. Regular training is one of the great initiatives to keep employees engaged and loyal. I designed my training to fit employees’ current roles and career expectations, including internal shuffles to different departments for more training. The human resources were tasked with offering continuous learning, which helped the business remain competitive. In addition, I increased development opportunities, making it an easier challenge for HR to address.
There is always a challenge when it comes to being HR of a Saas Company. While working for a SaaS company; I have faced many different challenges over the years, including software implementation, data privacy, and remote work monitoring. Out of them, I believe maintaining data privacy and security is the most challenging task in a SaaS company. As an HR, I have partnered with companies that provide all-in-one security solutions by providing authorized access, multi-layered securities, and encryption.
One of the most crucial HR challenges is the need to make a quick hire. This is the most crucial struggle that hiring managers face these days. In a very little time, candidates are made to go through several screening rounds and interviews; the need for good calibre and talent is crucial at the same time. Along with several projects coming up with maximum requirements of resources as the organizations are increasing significantly, it’s challenging for the hiring managers to fulfill the expectations by hiring the needed numbers and talents.
Job Shopping is very common among job-seekers who are just comparing the salaries or positions offered. Some are also comparing the benefits given by their company. This poses a problem during hiring as they might not join the company after being offered the position. After that, finding the second-best candidate also gets difficult due to the delay. This challenge can be dealt with by asking appropriate questions in the interview. The candidates who are really into working for the company will have ready answers for why they specifically want to work here. They will tell you how their individual goals align with the growth they expect in your company. With the right questions and evaluation of the attitude of the candidate to them, you can easily catch a job shopper!