Multi-Unit Franchisee Insight - Hiring, Firing, and Handling Problem Employees

We talk to successful multi-unit operators constantly here at Franchise Update Media. These busy on-the-go people share great insight and wisdom with us through our profile stories in Multi-Unit Franchisee magazine. Here, from our archives, are some insightful responses from some of these franchisees.

How do you hire and fire?
I always look to hire good, high-character people. Even when I think I am fully staffed, I am still always looking. Firing is a necessary part of leadership. Not firing the wrong person can hurt your business and suck the energy out of your team.

How do you deal with problem employees?
I like to provide direct feedback and offer plenty of opportunities to correct the problem. If it's not a fit, then accepting that and taking quick action is required.
David Schuck, multi-unit operator of Liberty Tax and Club Pilates

How do you hire and fire?
Because my company is growing so rapidly, we are always hiring. We are implementing a consistent set of interview questions throughout each cafe to pinpoint the applicants who are going to fit our brand the best. Fortunately, Tropical Smoothie Cafe is a modern and fresh brand that attracts a lot of talented young people. We receive a lot of walk-in applicants and people who apply online. I have also relied on a couple of different subscription-based recruiting websites and have had some success in sourcing general managers. Of course, my strong preference is to promote from within, but there are times when a supervisor isn't ready for the full responsibilities of management, and the worst thing would be to promote them and possibly set them up for failure.

How do you deal with problem employees?
I have a very low tolerance for team members who do not buy in to our mission. I understand that we are not for everyone. If someone cannot follow the basic policies and procedures, then there is very little preventing me from "re-gifting" them to the job market. It doesn't mean they are bad people, it just means we were not a good fit.
Emily Harrington, multi-unit operator of Tropical Smoothie Café

How do you hire and fire?
Slow to hire, quick to fire. In addition to the usual job posting sites, we have found long-term success in hiring people with energy, enthusiasm, and personality. In other words, they bleed orange. The rest can be taught.

How do you deal with problem employees?
They are given a formal write-up and expectations are communicated. I have found the key to this is to audit and follow up on whether they've taken our advice. As business owners, if we don't audit every aspect of the business there's no reason to be in business.
Evan Latham, multi-unit operator of Orangetheory Fitness