Hiring Internally vs. Externally

By David Crary  

As your field service business grows or loses employees the problem of hiring a new foreman can often complicate your short term goals. Getting a new employee on their feet in your system can take a few weeks or even months. So before you go out and hire the guy with 20 years’ experience, take a look at some of your highly valued employees. It may be easier to give one of them an opportunity. The benefits to promoting from within your operation include:

• You already know what to expect – By promoting a current employee you can put a lot of the stresses to rest about how your new foreman will perform. You’ve probably already had the chance to evaluate their work ethic, problem solving skills, and capacity to efficiently manage others. A new hire will always promise they are hard workers and play nice with others, but it’s tough to gage your employees until you see them in action.

• Boosts moral – Often times hiring an outsider creates animosity in the work place. Your current crew will be much more acceptable of a guy they have seen work up through the ranks because they see that you are looking to them to further grow the company and that their hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed. Give them the incentive to keep up the good work, or if they feel they have been overlooked, to step up their game.

• They’ve already been trained your way – Your staff has already been trained to do things the way you want them. They know what to expect from you and the crew, this also means they know the social dynamic in the team, making it easier to manage employees. And it means they can hit the ground running.

The right person for the job may not exist at your company right now, and if that is the case the most important thing you can do when making the decision of who to give the position to is take your time- hiring the wrong person can be expensive.  By hiring an outside foreman, you can gain a few advantages that your crew may be lacking.

• Experience – Your field technicians may have issues troubleshooting problems in the field as a direct lack of on the job experience. Hiring someone with 10 plus years under their belt can be a great resource to increase efficiency.

• Improve old processes - New knowledge could help you to revise your current processes and make them more efficient. But often times, as you may have found, as people get older they get more stubborn or set in their ways. This could lead to some communication issues between you, your crew, and customers. Although the job may still get done, it may not be done the way you promised the customer it would be, and that could hurt your shot at repeat business or referrals.

• New energy – Your employees may be lacking the proper motivation in the field. Adding some new blood may boost production if the crew takes a liking to your selection. It’s important to hire someone that your guys will respect.

As I’ve found in my field service management software company, attracting the right employees can be difficult. Sometimes, they’re right in front of your nose and you don’t even know it. Either way, your decision should come down to the best man, or woman, for the job. The new leader should be proactive to ensure they integrate into your system quickly. Someone who is actively engaged in learning your way of business is essential to making a smooth transition. They should also believe in what your business is trying to do and embody its core values. Make sure your new hire buys in to what you’re trying to do. They need to believe in your mission as an owner and work to fit your guidelines, not the ones outlined by previous employers. If an applicant’s references don’t have great things to say about them then they may not be the right fit for you. Take others’ precautions, and vice versa, be weary of those who exaggerate . If you think you’ve found someone within your organization, be sure to get your other employees input to help determine the way they will receive their new boss. Every company will be different in its needs; the important thing is to take time to consider your options.