I’m really busy – does this mean I need new staff?
Potentially, but maybe not. Our management meetings can help you to work out whether you’re working on the right things or doing things you shouldn’t be. We may be able to help you identify the lower value jobs you’re doing which you shouldn’t be. This could create a job role to free up your time.
Taking on Staff
Get help finding how and when you should grow your team
What job role?
Taking on staff at any level can be scary – for you both. You can make this easier by creating a detailed job description and person specification. This will boost your chances of making the right appointment. From the job description you can create processes and procedures of how you want the different tasks completing. This will make the training process easier all round.
What Contract?
Once you’ve made the decision to employ someone new, you have to decide how much time you need them for. Too long and you overpay on wages, not enough and you run the risk of them becoming overworked and underpaid. Zero hours contracts sound great (and they do have benefits in some situations) but they can create uncertainty with your workforce. This isn’t what you need in a growing business! Try to find out what your competitors are doing to stay competitive.
Training?
You need to make this process as smooth as possible to ensure your team member is up to speed as quickly as possible. We recommend creating the processes and procedures for your new team member so they can learn themselves. Scheduling regular training time also helps to keep skills updated and the time to learn new ones.
Outsource?
You need to assess whether you can financially support an employee on a long term basis. Employees have more rights than subcontractors (holiday pay, pension, national insurance etc), so if your work load has only increased a small amount or you just experiencing a busier time than usual, a subcontractor could be an option. They will probably cost you more money per day, however, you should make up for that in productivity and experience. If you are struggling to find a subcontractor, agency staff could be an option too.
Finding Staff
There are a raft of resources, in fact a whole industry built around helping you to find new team members. Here are some of our top picks
- Social media job boards
- Free job listings on job boards
- Friends and family – ask around
- Agencies – pick wisely
Good luck, and if you’d like more advice, just get in touch!
Some of Your Staff Challenges
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Do I have too many members of staff?
We can look across your industry and see how your costs compare with your competitors. If they’re too high, we’ll let you know. And then help you come up with a plan to fix it. This may not be cutting staff, especially if they’re good! It could be looking at ways to grow your income which will give you more profit! -
My team aren’t doing things the way I’d like
Providing the end result is correct and free of defects, does it matter how your staff do their job? Giving staff freedom over their job creates a sense of ownership which can help to create togetherness and loyalty. This is key to all organisations.