A More 'Co-operative Way to Select Staff'
By Alan Harrington

As the Co-op has suddenly had more than the usual staff turnover in recent weeks, I thought I'd explain our staff selection process.
My background, before coming to the Co-op, was quite traditional; I either made a staff selection on my own or was part of a committee that made the decision. Either way, the selected person was imposed on the staff, for better or worse. When I arrived at the Co-op, I discovered that all the staff were part of the decision-making process.
All positions at the Co-op are advertised, both in The Range News, and on the board at the front of the Co-op. When the fortnightly deadline has passed, each staff member chooses who should be interviewed. This selection is made in the context of set criteria deemed essential in being able to perform the duties. If any one applicant gets two votes or more, that person is interviewed. (This time round, we received 35 applications and interviewed 12 applicants.)
After the interviews, all staff members participate in appointing the new employee, and a consensus has to be reached. This can be a lengthy process, but it pays off. The staff debated the recent selections over a two-hour period.
Eventually, a unanimous decision is achieved and the staff can feel confident that all applicants were given fair consideration. For small organisations hiring new staff, I can say that this approach to staff selection is well-worthwhile, and definitely minimises potential conflict.

[From "Maple Street Co-op News", June/July 2007; published by The Maple Street Co-operative Society Ltd, 37 Maple Street, Maleny, Qld 4552, Australia, tel (07) 5494 2088, email maplest.co-op@serv.net.au, website http://www.maplestreetco-op.com.au]