Bringing in employees as a small business is a very big deal. Something that can seem so small for bigger businesses is a huge milestone for you, and that’s why you need to get it right! After all, it’ll be hard on you to make a mistake when it comes to recruitment, simply because hiring the wrong employee could cost you a lot of money.
But at the same time, you need to make sure your business is ready to bring on employees. You’re in a good place financially right now, and you feel set up in the real world, but have you considered everything? Make sure you keep the points below in mind before you pull the trigger on your first recruitment drive.
A Lack of Manpower
Without the right amount of working hands, your business can struggle to find its momentum. A lot of small business owners tend to underestimate just how many people they need to run on a daily basis, and thanks to not allocating enough budget to staffing their companies properly, turnover can be very high!
Don’t make the same mistake here; take some time right now to plot out where you’ll need bodies and how long you’ll need them for. In doing so, you’re showing the right kind of proactivity you need as a small business owner ready for expansion. And not only that, you’ll also be much better informed on the kind of people you need to hire. You’ll know what skills to look out for, and what kind of personalities will work best together.
A Safe Workplace
This is one of the major considerations you should always have at the top of your list. A safe workplace is a happy and productive workplace, after all, and you should never skimp on outfitting your office or shop floor with as much safety gear as possible. After all, if an employee gets hurt on company time, you’ve got a lot of obligations to see to, especially if the accident was entirely avoidable in the first place.
So check the way you work right now. What about your setup could potentially be dangerous? Do you follow all local healthy and safety laws/regulations? If you work with potentially dangerous ingredients or materials, do you provide the right protection, such as Chemical Suits? While this can all seem obvious in the moment, you’d be surprised just how many companies forget about these matters in their rush to bring employees on board!
A Proper Benefits Package
What does your workplace offer, in order to entice employees towards you? Maybe dress down Friday? Or maybe you get the pizzas in on Tuesdays? Well, while these benefits are lovely in theory, if you don’t offer as many substantial benefits as you do ‘treats’, you’re unlikely to find the people you’re really looking for from the job market.
So what should you offer? Something clear and concise, such as a guaranteed bonus and/or promotion at some point during their time working for you is a good start. Are you in a position to pay into a pension? What are your maternity and paternity rules? Can you also offer sick pay? And it’s also a good idea to think about offering health insurance to all employees, which could allow them to use private clinics without any financial worry.
An Ability to Keep on Moving
Rolling on from the point above, how much can you offer a prospective employee in terms of career growth? You’re looking to build a bigger business here, but does that mean your employees are just along for the ride? Or are they actually part of your future expansion? Making sure you can promise career boosting steps, such as training courses and the ability to attend networking events and/or conferences to represent the company, are two great ways to bring in the kind of talent you’re looking for.
You’re about to compete in big leagues here, and ensuring your employees feel valued both as people and as workers is key to establishing the kind of workplace culture that will speak for itself. The more you can do for your employees, the more they’ll do for you, and this is something you should think on from the beginning.
Ready to employ? If you’re a small business owner, don’t skimp on your hiring process. If you want talent in your company, you’re going to have to offer as much in return as you can.