Hiring an employee is an exciting, risky, fun, terrifying, mind numbing, totally awesome, but totally stressful experience!
We have had to assist multiple clients recover from bad hires that cost them thousands, sometimes tens of thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars. Not to mention my very first hire was a COMPLETE disaster.
Employees can be the greatest asset to your company, they can add so much to your business and be amazing sources of profit and joy! A good hire can mean that you get to delegate and focus on the tasks you need done while being able to trust that everything else is getting handled right!
Employees can be the greatest liability to your business as well, I'm sure I don't need to list the ways they can drain your business, ruin client relations, and much much more.
I bet right now you're like "Thanks a lot Allie, I already had anxiety about this process and now I'm about to have a full blown panic attack.... you suck!"
FRET NOT! There is hope!
The three best ways to ensure you make a good hire that is an ASSET to your business:
1. ALWAYS HAVE A PROCESS!!!! You should NEVER be hiring out of desperation *I'll say it louder for the people in the back*. YOU SHOULD NEVER BE HIRING OUT OF DESPERATION!!! Have a clear idea of what you need, write it down, build a job description, and put an ad out. Have a timeline for hiring and get as many qualified applicants as you can scheduled for interviews. THEN have a good interview process. Always, always, always have a process.
2. Pay well! Good people are worth the money you pay them. A good employee is going to ensure the growth and profitability of YOUR business. Compensate them well, make it known that they are valued. So many studies show that well compensated, valued employees work harder, work smarter, and are overall happier in the work place when they aren't under financial strain.
3. Take time to train. Clear expectations and solid communication are essential to any relationship, taking time to train your employee in the functions of their job and articulating clearly the expectations you have will ensure your employee knows how to perform their job to your expectations. One way to ensure this happens is to have standard operating procedures and a training manual that clearly outlines all of these functions.
While you don't have to go to any school or do anything to become an employer, I always recommend my clients do reading on how to be a good employer. The relationship between employee and employer is a two way street. There are many labor laws and rules and regulations that can open an employer up to liability, it's good to brush up on what those are to ensure you are providing a safe and harmonious work environment for yourself and your employees.
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