Recruiting Your New Team
One of the most challenging stages of setting up your own business (or buying an existing business) is finding and recruiting the talent to take your business forward and help you grow. The success of many businesses is dependent on a strong employee base, who are well managed, engaged and dedicated to your business.
Choosing the ‘right time’ to recruit is a critical decision. Do you employ someone as soon as you start to get busy but you may not have the work or the profit margin to support the hire? Leaving it later could see the quality of the service suffer.
There are a few things to consider which might help you make the right decision?
Is there another option to employing someone?
Take a look at your business model before recruiting. Have you got the most cost-effective processes in place? Could you outsource aspects of your work to free up your capacity? Could new software or hardware be a better long-term option for you? Could you use contractors or associates?
Do you have a clear resource planning process, how do you know if existing employees are working to capacity and working efficiently? Reviewing existing duties and job descriptions will help you decide whether more bodies are needed, or you actually need better management and/or HR input.
You should also consider whether you have enough work for fixed hours (full-time or part-time) or whether the hours will fluctuate.
How you engage a new team member is important as there are 3 types of employment status; employee, worker and self-employed. If it is a short term need, agency workers can be ideal to help out during busy periods.
Each status attracts different employment rights so you need to set up the appointment correctly.
I have made the decision to recruit! What happens next?
It is strongly recommended that you draft a job description and person specification. These are two very different things and can be the key to finding the right person for the role.
The job description outlines actual duties and responsibilities. The person specification shows what qualities and skills you are looking for that are suited to the role and your business. The person specification will include qualifications and experience requirements. You can then further state which qualities are essential and those which are only desirable. This will help you eliminate and narrow down candidates during the sifting and interview process.
How do I attract the right person for my business?
There are a number of options that can be considered to find the right person. You could use traditional recruitment agencies (but be wary of the fees), you may use online job search websites or you could use your own connections to advertise your vacancy. LinkedIn is a powerful job search tool, as is word of mouth amongst your professional network.
You should also think about how you would like candidates to apply. You may be tempted to request CVs but a carefully drafted application form could provide you with more valuable information and ensure that the information you are collecting allows you to fairly compare the candidates.
How do I select the best candidate?
This can be tricky, lots of new employers use gut feeling but you should think about the skills that are required and develop a process that allows the candidate to demonstrate them. This could be by using psychometric tests, interview questions, or presentation requirements in advance. It is important that you treat all candidates the same to avoid any claims of discrimination or unconscious bias.
To get the right candidate you should put together an attractive package. The salary offered should be competitive, but employees are now looking for much more than just financial reward. Flexible working, career progression, pension, health care and other benefits are just a few of the extras that may make your role and business stand out.
I’ve found the ideal person and want them to join my business, what do I do now?
Congratulations, you have found your new employee! All employees and workers should receive a copy of their written statement of employment particulars before or on their first day of work with any wider terms and conditions being issued within the first two months. Many employers choose to issue one document known as the contract of employment. You, therefore, need to ensure that you have the correct contract drafted for the type of worker you are engaging. Legally there is a list of the minimum information a contract must contain but you should consider other clauses such as probationary periods and restrictive covenants which could help protect your business should the appointment not work out.
The Onboarding and Induction phase of recruiting a new team member
You should think about the onboarding and induction of a new employee starting as soon as they have accepted your offer of employment.
Consider what you need to do to collect all the information you need, i.e. proof of right to work, proof of address, payroll information etc. Also think about how you engage with the new employee before they start, send a welcome card, give them the opportunity to come to a team meeting/see a client before starting.
A well-planned induction process can make a new employee feel right at home.
The induction should cover the basics such as health and safety, training and an introduction to other important policies and procedures. You could consider allocating the new employee a buddy to who they can ask questions.
It is recommended that you have an accessible employee handbook that will guide employees as to the standards you expect. Use this to talk through those expectations, but also what they can expect from you. The handbook could include processes for disciplinaries, grievances, absence management but also family leave rights and entitlement. Your policies and procedures will ensure that everyone is treated fairly and consistently.
HR ‘How To’
The more employees you have, inevitably the more issues you will encounter.
It is vital that employees are managed fairly and consistently and in accordance with the law. A failure to follow fair procedures or to treat your employees equally may result in a costly and time-consuming employment tribunal claim. HR input is therefore essential for any successful business. Initially, you could consider freelance HR assistance or a more comprehensive external HR support package that could provide you with regular legal updates, legally compliant and robust contracts of employment and a suite of policies, procedures and template letters.
These packages are ideal for start ups and growing businesses and can normally be obtained for a fixed cost.
Conclusion
To create a positive path to success and growth, recruiting the right team and obtaining the right support and expertise is vital to ensure that your business not only survives but thrives.
It’s not always about employing more people, but surrounding yourself with the right people. Having a great team will improve your chances of success. If you are thinking of employing then seek professional advice and be careful to follow the rules!
Thoughts on recruiting staff from Yorkshire Powerhouse
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