Small Business Hiring 101: Using Big Data

Did you know that the ideal customer care or service employee is someone who lives close to their place of employment, has a reliable means of transportation, uses social media and is creative? According to XeroxVoice in Forbes, a candidate with these qualities and characteristics is more likely to stay at your small business.

Recently, Xerox has been making hiring decisions with the help of data and software programs. This type of technology has taken thousands of other employee files and found the consistencies of employees that not only stay with the company but perform well. As a result, they’ve seen an increase in employee retention, saving time and thousands of dollars in training and and developing costs.

In Forbes, they state, “This software helps take the guesswork out of the hiring process and replaces it with real, scientific, data. While hiring managers have the final say in who they bring on, instinct and intuition now play a much smaller (and more reliable) role in personnel decisions.”

So how can your small business utilize this talent acquisition technique to yield the same results?

First, you need to gather data on your current employees. According to Forbes, Xerox asks each employee to complete a series of tests that define who they are on a basic level. That’s how they know that the best customer care workers live close to work, use social media and are creative. Additionally, Xerox actively tracks their job performance.

Now, you have some data that’s not only reliable but tailored to your company and the type of people that function well and develop professionally within your company culture. Analyze the data, determine what works and begin implementing it along with your other small business hiring strategies.

For example, Xerox takes the data they have acquired from current employees and places job candidates on a scale from low to high potential. Those with a “high potential” are more likely to stay with the company because it’s a good fit for both parties. As a result, they spend less in training and developing that employee and also don’t lose out when new hires leave after only working six months, simply because it’s a non-issue now.

This scientific approach provides for a better personnel experience. Your small business hiring efforts produce new hires that are worth investing in. Businesses that use this talent acquisition technique have not only seen an increase in employee retention but in the overall success of the business, according to Forbes. With quality employees that fit your company’s cultures and goals, your small business can continue to grow and thrive.

What and how else can you learn about your current employees that will help in small business hiring efforts? Share now in our comments!