Creating an Employee Referral Program

Even as the unemployment rate nationally continues to hover around 9 percent – and the rate for the Inland Empire area remains a stubborn 14.7 percent (as of July 2011) – great employees still are hard to find.

And, as many of the best jobs are part of the “hidden” job market, so are the best employees “hidden.”

How to find them? Start an employee referral program at your company.

Good employees tend to know people who also could become good employees. They know your firm’s corporate culture and can ascertain easily if their friends, family or acquaintances have the skills as well as the “right fit” for your firm.

Other reasons to start a referral program:

  • Happy employees are terrific sales people for your company, selling the benefits of working there to friends and acquaintances.
  • Employees will feel a greater sense of ownership and connection to your firm.
  • It may not take you as long to fill a position, since your current employees will act as initial screeners for you.

The best employee referral programs are simple. Either have a designated, password-protected page on your website (the employee can give the password to the candidate) or have a special referral form the employee fills out, attaching the candidates resume and/or application. You may also want to have a space where the employee can say why he or she recommends the candidate.

Once you receive a referral, do all you can to fast-track the application and work to contact the candidate within a couple days of receiving his or her information.

It’s a great idea to reward current employees for either referring a candidate whether or not a referral is hired. If a referral is not hired, thank the employee graciously for the referral. If the candidate is hired, many companies present the referring employee with a monetary reward, either when the candidate comes aboard, or after a few months (or even at both times).

Arrow Staffing Services will source, vet and place great workers for your Inland Empire-area company’s temporary, temp-to-hire and direct hire needs. Contact us today!

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