Hiring your first staff member

Hiring your first staff member

Your business is booming- you are going great guns. However you can’t do it all by yourself. It is time to hire your first staff member. It can seem like a daunting process for many reasons: 

  • Ensuring you find the right person 
  • Do they fit into your business well
  • Do they have all of the necessary experience and education
  • Is their work ethic strong 

The next question is, what type of employee does your business require:

  • An apprentice that you can teach and coach. Do you have the time and patience to spend with an apprentice. Can your business cope when they need to go to trade school?
  • Or a casual or part time labourer, that can get the basic jobs done, are cheaper but may not have a higher skill set to help you with more technical elements of your business
  • Do you hire a fully qualified trades person, that would be expensive, however will work autonomously and be able to get any job done?

This can seem like a long shopping list of variables to consider. But, on top of that you also need to do the right thing by your new employee:

  • Ensuring they are being paid at the correct rate 
  • You are withholding the tax and paying their superannuation correctly
  • You can afford for the benefits like holiday and sick pay 
  • Workers compensation

There is so much to absorb and action when hiring staff. 


The bigger picture can also include, questions about, do you have enough consistent work to keep your employee IN work?


It is hard to look at your business objectively and to analyse your business to gain an understanding how sustainable your business will be if you begin to hire staff. 

You need to analyse your financial situation and add into the budget an employee and what they cost. Then you need to forecast the next 3- 5 years what your business looks like with more staff and will it keep growing the way it is. 


Employing staff is a necessary part of being a business owner, however if you plan the onboarding and off boarding of staff as much as possible it will become easier and easier. It is vital to give your employees a sense of belonging and create a positive culture across your business.


To solidify your HR processes- why not work with a HR consultant as they will be able to design all of the employee processes that your business will need long term. They will put in place the legal aspects of staff but also elements including KPI’s, expectations, culture, position description documents, will you be offering professional development courses and how to measure your staff to ensure they are working efficiently and effectively.


After you have worked with a HR expert you need to work through your projections and planning, sit down with your accountant to discuss if or when you will be able to afford employees and what impact that will have on your business. As there would be positive and negative financial impacts to consider.


The bottom line is don’t step into hiring staff until you are well planned and understand your full obligation both financially and personally towards your staff. 


Having staff can help your business to grow and prosper, become more efficient in the everyday. Staff will also bring in new ideas on marketing, sales and even product ideas.



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