HR Lessons from the Trenches: 13 Tips for Finding, Hiring and Retaining Employees

Thirty years ago, you needed two things to be hired in a laboratory: a heartbeat and a pair of hands. Except for management positions, applicants went through a very informal interview and, if they answered the questions reasonably well, they were immediately placed at a bench and started to learn “over the shoulder.”

In today’s environment, even with a shortage of skilled technicians, you need more than just a heartbeat and hands. Laboratory personnel are expected to be effective communicators, understand the goals and vision of the business and, most importantly, learn to develop critical-thinking skills along with technical acumen.

After 40 years of being in the personnel trenches, I’ve compiled some of my best tips for recruiting, hiring and retaining staff members:

Recruitment

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