Running a successful business requires a whole host of elements, the most important of which is staff. If your company is gaining momentum and the next step is bringing new talent on board, you need to know what to consider before hiring an employee. Here, we take a look at the aspects to consider before you even start looking.
Don’t Rush
If you have a new business, it can be easy to want to fill up vacant positions quickly in order to create a full and productive team. However, hiring the right person is the only way to ensure that productivity is lasting and effective. Ensure you have made the best possible choice, as making a mistake early on can accrue more costs than previously anticipated.
There are a wide variety of aspects to consider before hiring, from the financial implications to the specifications of the job beng advertised. Rushing to employee anyone remotely capable can be a dangerous move, as managers need to be sure they are putting together a team that will lead their business to success.
Financial Implications
Hiring someone is expensive; not least due to the salary you will be paying them but also the time you will spend training them up to an optimum level of performance and ensuring they have all the equipment they need to do their job. Some of the financial aspects to consider include:
• Salary – Will you be able to pay a full time salary including any benefits such as holiday leave and sick pay? If not, is the job able to be performed by a part-time member of staff?
• Equipment – Do you have the necessary equipment available in your office for you new member of staff? Computers, desks and chairs can be expensive but important. If the job can be done from home, it cuts the cost of office supplies or perhaps the need for an office at all.
• Benefits – Full time employees may expect certain benefits from their job which can be costly, however without these benefits staff may not be easily retained which can cause the search to start all over again.
The financial aspect may seem like the most important one to a new or small business, and whereas it is one to be constantly mindful of, it is not the only one to consider.
Job Specifications
Another thing to consider before hiring an employee are the implications and understanding of the job role being advertised. As a manager, you need to know the ins and outs of the job you are searching to fill, from what is expected of the employee to the things you must do in order to get the most from your staff. Consider such things as:
• Full time or contractor? Do you need to hire a permanent member of staff for the position or can the task be completed in a shorter time by a contracter?
• Be specific – Look at the areas of the business which need the most work and hire a person specifically targeted to these areas. You may need to pay more for someone with specialist knowledge, however hiring someone who excels in areas you are unfamiliar with gives the business a boost and helps managers learn valuable skills.
• Personality counts – It may seem secondary to their performance, but the personality of an employee counts for an awful lot, particularly for small or brand new businesses. Going from working on your own to expanding means becoming used to spending every day with someone, and that person must gel with you and the business. Can they perform the job and cultivate positive relationships with managers and co-workers?
Of course, expanding a business means bosses can take a step back from the multitude of positions they have been assuming in the early days! And however hard it may be to do at first, it is important to grow and develop a team of creative and like-minded people who can bring things to the table that you alone cannot. Whilst there are many things to consider before hiring an employee, the most important is ensuring that there is a full and interesting job for them to perform which benefits the boss and the business.
Here’s to a successful hire!
Castle Hill House