Chances are, your business is your life. You’ve spent years coming up with an idea, running market research, testing products or services and putting your all into making it work. However, there comes a point where you simply can’t do it alone, and for your business to grow and do well, you need to hire people to help you bring your vision to life. These are people that are dedicated, hardworking and serious about the success of your company- it’s crucial to get right if you’re going to go on and be a success. Here are some things to bear in mind.
Finding and recruiting the best employees
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deciding to hire a person and finding the right person is not as easy as it sounds – and can actually cost businesses a lot of money if it’s not done properly. Start with your job ad, you want it to grab potential employees interest but be wary of dressing it up to be something it’s not, as this will only lead to disappointment once they’ve got the position. On the flip side, be careful of being too specific about the kind of person you want, it might put candidates off applying if they feel they’re not the perfect fit, consider what is desirable and what is essential. Finally, think about what you can offer to an employee, not just what they can offer you. Sure, a fair rate of pay is essential but what else makes you an attractive place to work?
Think about employee benefits like health or life insurance, disability plans, pension and retirement packages. You could also offer added extras like a company smartphone, laptop or car- even occasional free lunches or cut price gym memberships can help employees feel valued.
Retaining good employees
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Once you’ve found the right candidates for your business, the next step is to retain them. A high staff turnover rate can affect the morale of the rest of your workers, and can also cost you significantly in time and money where you’re having to recruit, interview and train new people. Never underestimate the simple things- just listening to your employees can make them feel happier and more valuable. Complaints, queries or praise, spending a little time taking your workers opinions on board builds trust and makes people want to stay with your business and work hard. Good communication and trust is vital for the smooth running of your business, so employing those who have been shown to work well in groups and teams is a smart idea as you can help to build a fantastic workplace environment. But a helping hand is sometimes needed too, team building activities for your staff or even occasional social gatherings such as parties and dinners can also be useful for getting your staff mingling and building up trust amongst the team. Provide a good office space too, it doesn’t need to be the most luxurious since this is out of reach for many smaller businesses. However the space can be clean and tidy, a fresh coat of paint and a few plants dotted around can make all the difference and help to boost mood and productivity.
Take care of your workers
As well as providing a pleasant space for them to work, giving them the opportunity to progress and understanding that the relationship between you and your employees is a mutually beneficial arrangement, you need to take care of your workers according to the law too. This involves following health and safety laws in regards to your premises, making sure you’re providing equal opportunities and generally following all codes of conduct- code of conduct software can make this easier. Employing a HR consultant is another crucial step, as it means you can make sure everything is handled responsibly, fairly in regards to your workers. It allows you to keep up to date with employment law, and your staff is kept happy reducing the risk of employment tribunals. These kinds of legal proceedings can be damaging to your business and also affect the morale of other workers, so it always makes sense to avoid them where possible. Simple things such as anonymous reporting for issues like workplace bullying and harassment can be useful, so consider what your staff might need.