To some, work is a four-letter word!

Success in the workplace is often as much about expectations as effort. In my book, Other People's Problems, there is a chapter entitled "There's Work And Then There's... Work!" (www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/other_peoples_problems/9268001)
In this chapter, I look at one of the biggest obstacles you will face in hiring for your small business, namely, that what people have done in the past, for the dollars they earn, may be completely at odds with what you expect for the same or similar dollars.  Conversely, people who have been relatively well paid for not doing that much over the course of the day, will be seriously shocked when you require them to work a full eight hour day.

Of course, this is not a problem confined to smaller companies. Several years ago, a client,  who was Senior Vice President at a major insurance company, told me how, after he came on board, his secretary - whom he had inherited from his predecessor - came and complained: Since you joined the company, I'm having to work from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every day!  He had simply looked at her and replied: "But those are your hours..."

It's very rare in any small company that there will be so little to do that people can move at a snail's pace or sit around and chat. While it's not a given in large organizations and bureaucracies, such as government, that people have nothing to do, if you've ever been in these environments and observed quietly what goes on, you will often see a slower rate of effort being put forth by the employees.

This is why, when hiring for smaller firms, it's a good idea - as much as is possible or allowed under the law - to hire people on some sort of contract or for a shorter-term period, so you can try them out and see how they work. Many times, people will be seeking out employment in a smaller environment precisely because they like to be busy and want the time to go quickly - one of the benefits of having a busy workplace.

However, not everyone feels this way about work, which is why it's important to find ways to sort those who consider 'work' a synonym for joy from those who consider work to be a four-letter word!

Copyright Deborah C. Sawyer