As you start to develop and grow your business, you may find that you need help to keep it afloat. That is normal, and you should gladly embrace the idea. However, a good place to start is to consider hiring employees to whom you can delegate your workload.
But hiring employees for the first time can be incredibly overwhelming. Hiring unsuitable people could ruin all your hard work after spending so much time and energy building it. If you find yourself in this position, here is a guide to help relieve the burden when it’s time to hire employees for your small start-up.
Tips for Hiring Your First Employees
#1: Train them on health and safety
When you are hiring employees, it is not only their productivity that is important, but also their safety within your workplace. If they are not trained rigorously in terms of health and safety, you may find yourself on the wrong side of a lawsuit.
Then, you should ensure that all of your employees understand your safety protocols and that they can operate machinery effectively. You might also consider sending them on a course that can offer them OSHA 30 certification, especially if your business operates within the manufacturing or construction industries.
#2: Create a rigorous recruitment process
Before you even think about your new employees’ experience in the workplace, you need to make sure that you can find the best employees for your company. The only way to do this is to create a comprehensive recruitment process that can allow you to filter out the candidates that can bring the most to your business.
To do this, you should consider developing out-of-the-box and industry-specific interview questions and downloading HR software that can isolate the most experienced and qualified candidates for you.
A thorough background check is also undoubtedly a must. To build a reputable business, you need to develop a reputable foundation—and your employees are your most important base. Review the companies that applicants place on their resumes. Follow up on the professional and character references they provide. Offer an easy process to obtain police clearance, such as authorized criminal record checks that can help fast-track clearances.
#3: Offer great benefits
You then need to find ways to keep your employees and to encourage them to work at your business in the first place. One of the best ways that you can do this is to offer great benefits to workers.
For instance, you might consider giving your employees access to a great pension scheme or healthcare cover, as well as ample vacation and sick leave. You should also make sure that your business can offer progression opportunities to your employees, such as managerial positions.
#4: Create an inviting workplace environment
To boost employee satisfaction in your workplace, you need to create a welcoming and inspirational environment. For instance, if you run an office, you might consider creating flexible spaces where people can both collaborate and work independently.
You might also consider decorating the office in bright colors, cleaning it regularly, and making sure that it receives a lot of natural light. This can boost your employees’ moods and ensure that they can stay energized throughout the day.
#5: Get insured
Before hiring employees, you should also check that you have taken out the right type of insurance. For instance, although you might already have general business insurance, you may now need employer’s liability insurance. This can allow you to give your employees compensation if something goes wrong.
