08 Sep Your Checklist When Extending an Offer of Employment

Your Checklist When Extending an Offer of Employment

Once you have been through the recruitment process, interviewed a selection of candidates, and decided on your top candidate, there are a few important “boxes” to check before extending an offer of employment.

1. Get Your Paperwork in Order

Ensure that you have copies of all supporting documents.  This includes, but is not limited to, their CV (some companies also like the original CV if dealing with an agency), ID, copies of certificates and qualifications, previous payslips and reference checks, background checks, and any other supporting documents relating to the recruitment process.

2. Background Checks

Ensure that you have the appropriate background checks on file.  At minimum this should include a reference from a previous employer.  This does not need to be glowing, but you want to confirm the details given on the CV/ in the interview.  Depending on the position, other background checks pay include psychometric tests, pre-employment polygraph tests, qualification verifications, and criminal and ITC checks.

3. Determine an Appropriate Offer of Employment

When making an offer, various factors should be taken into consideration, such as what employees at a similar level in the company are being paid, market-related salaries and the candidates’ expectations.  It is always a good idea to review a recent payslip of the successful applicant to take into account any benefits and deductions they are currently obtaining, or will be should they accept your offer.

4. Working Hours and Annual Leave

It is far better to address working hours, possible over time for stock takes and related remuneration upfront, than to have awkward conversations after they have started.  If your company has a compulsory shut down at the end of the year, and the applicant will be starting later in the year, you may want to discuss how payment of this period will be dealt with, so that they can plan.  Likewise, if they will not be eligible for Christmas bonuses, discuss this upfront.

5. Put it in Writing

Always put Offers of Employment in writing, to avoid any misunderstanding later on.  The successful applicant can accept and resign off the Offer of Employment, and according to The Basic Conditions of Employment Act, the contract of employment should be given no later that the first day of employment.

6. New Employee Onboarding Checklist

If you put a checklist in place, it is easy to outsource certain aspects well ahead of time, and ensure that when the new recruit starts, you are ready for them!  Items you may want to include on your checklist include:

1. Payroll & Personnel Documents- your accounts or HR Department will need information from the employee such as tax numbers, ID, physical address and bank account details. Asking for this well ahead of time avoids any disruption after they start.  Include any company policies so that they can start familiarizing themselves with your culture and how you get things done.
2. Procurement of equipment and setting up accounts and logins- ensure that they have a workstation, equipment, and access from the first day, so that they can start training and working from day one! Including any company swag is always a nice touch.
3. Schedule Orientation- in your diary and others. You can outsource a tour of the building, introductions to other staff, etc.
4. Assign a peer mentor in the department who can assist with the little questions, steer then away from the negative staff and gossipy staff, and foster good habits from day one.
5. Schedule 30-60-90 day feedback sessions before they even start, to ensure that communication channels stay open.

Initiating the employment relationship in a proactive, professional manner, with procedures in place; ensures that the employment relationship continues in the same manner.  The biggest reason for a breakdown in employee-employer relationships is miscommunication, or simply lack of communication.