Raphael Paris is the Vice President of People Operations at Scorpion. He focuses on creating a thriving company culture and making sure that employees love what they do.

In the past, he says that Human Relations departments were focused on compliance and making sure that employees followed the rules. Today, they are much more people focused and want to create an environment where their teams are inspired.

“First off the bat, when you’re talking about culture, hiring is the most important thing you can do. This is just a guess on my part, but 90% of the problems you run into are bad culture fit hires.”

Take the time to get the best talent. Not only will this benefit your company, it will also save you money: it costs 1.5 in annual salary for every bad hire you make.

In the home services industry, Raphael says he often sees businesses hiring with only knowledge, skills, and abilities as the priorities. However, he says you should actually be focused on:

1. Are they are a good culture fit? Do they get along with the team? Do they inspire those around them? Are they smart?

Raphael’s advice is to hire slow and fire fast.

A part of having a good culture is you have to care enough about the high performance and low performance. If you have someone who is not performing, you have to let them know.”

You want people who have the intrinsic desire to do the best job. That defines your culture.

Avoiding emergency hires is all about preparation.

1. Build a Pool: Interview and keep track of people even when you are not hiring immediately. That way, when you do need to hire, you have a pool of people you know have potential, and you don’t cut corners.

Raphael has a wealth of experience and knowledge when it comes to managing Millennials. He believes it requires a unique approach, supported by a strong culture.

1. You have to give your employees opportunities to grow rather than just telling them to grow.