In the hullabaloo of recruitment drives, HR managers are bound to make some inevitable errors. Let us have a quick look at the prevailing job offer letter mistakes made by employers and simultaneously understand how staying a bit cautious can help steer clear of the same:
Issuing The Document Right Away
Many a time, when recruiters hasten to get an employee on board, they forget to have a verbal discussion before releasing the offer letter. They just download a standard offer letter format and hand it over or send it across to the selected candidate. Now, in this case, there is an excellent chance that the receiver of the letter misunderstands, mistakes or disagrees with a part of the information mentioned in the document.
To avoid such scenarios, it is advisable to have a detailed interaction with the candidate beforehand on-call or in-person so that there is no scope of confusion at a later stage.
Forgetting To Get The Document Signed
Since a job offer letter is a mere proposal to be accepted/ rejected by the selected applicant, there is a dire need to get the confirmation response on paper. Once you issue the offer letter to a person, it doesn’t imply that he has become a part of the organisation. If you forget to get the candidate’s signature on the document, there is a risk of him absconding without prior notice.
To keep away from this mess, before moving forward in a jiffy, it is highly recommended to get a written confirmation of acceptance from the newly recruited professional so that even if the person leaves you uninformed, the ball is in your court and you can act against him!
Common Informational Blunders
Sometimes, employers update incorrect information while preparing the official papers of joining, which leaves the candidate in a dilemma. Details such as the name of a candidate, the position offered, department name, salary extended, or the compensation and benefits applicable are wrong. Since there is no going back once you issue this formal/ official letter, you, as an employer, need to double-check the credentials and other critical particulars of the document.
There is no mantra or guide to refer to refrain from making these mistakes. You need to stay extra cautious while drafting the offer letter and proofread the whole content of the same at least twice before passing it on.
Not Specifying Dates and Timings
Apart from the job-related details and figures, employers make the silly mistakes of putting incorrect date and time on paper. Be it the date of joining or induction, time of arrival on the first day or particular occasions, something or the other is always wrongly mentioned. This creates a negative impact on the candidate, making them feel unvalued and giving them second thoughts about accepting the offer altogether due to the non-seriousness of the employer.
Again, the key is to conduct a thorough preparation of the document after cross-checking the numbers, including pre-decided dates and timings along with other particulars. You need to get it right on the first go!
Missing Out The At-Will Employment
As an employer, you have certain prerogatives that you can use at the right and required time. Such a privilege is the At-Will Employment. You have the right to terminate the employment of an employee without giving him a prior notice under certain predefined circumstances. For instance, if an employee infringes any of the company policies or indulges in illegal activity, then you can immediately take a strict action or fire the individual. So, if you forget to mention this critical information, the guilty can come back at you and claim otherwise as you would not have the papers to prove the same.
The key is to Research about every similar applicable right and intimates the same to the employee at a very initial stage such as through the offer letter. Thus, it not only makes you aware but also gives a clear picture of the Dos and Don’ts to the newbie.
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Pretermitting Expiry Of Letter
As much as it is important to expedite the recruitment process for the employer, the candidate must take his own time for deciding the response to offer letter. However, as “all good things come with an expiry” so does the job offer. It is highly crucial to clearly state the expiration date of the offer letter so that the applicant knows the due date to make the final move.
To avoid getting delayed responses from the candidates when you have already hired a replacement, it is important to highlight the deadline for the candidate to take action on the proposed offer.