So you’re a mompreneur on a mission and have successfully started your own business – first and foremost, congratulations! Getting a business off the starting line as a parent is no mean feat and you should be very proud of what you have already achieved. Having got your business up and running, now you’re looking at the next stage of your development – hiring your first employee, so here are four things to consider.
1. The legal bits
Way before you start creating job advertisements and interviewing potential candidates, you need to make sure that you have got your head around what hiring an employee means from a legal perspective. What are your obligations as an employer? Do you have the necessary paperwork in place? Do you have the necessary insurance and a functioning payroll scheme? At first, this stuff can be daunting, but there is a wealth of resources online that will help you.
2. Where they will work
Depending on the position you are hiring, another big consideration is where the person is going to work. Will you expect them to travel to you, do you have an office or will they be working remotely? The working arrangement that you decide will ultimately dictate where you can advertise for your job and may also influence the salary and benefits packages that you offer. You’ll find more tips for managing remote employees here.
3. Their contracted hours
Many new businesses choose to take on staff on a part-time basis to begin with, in order to keep costs down. But depending on your growth strategy, this can come back to bite you if you then ask your part-time employee to come on full-time and they are not able to due to other commitments. If you are hiring part-time with the intention to increase the person’s contract to full-time, then make this clear from the offset. Similarly, if you hire full-time and then realize you do not need full-time help, then be prepared to lose the employee as they may need to find alternative work elsewhere. If you are very unsure of the hours you need, then consider outsourcing until you have a better idea.
4. The culture you want to build
Even though you may currently be a solo mompreneur you probably already have an idea of the kind of workplace culture that you ultimately want to build and foster. Your first employee will be an integral part of building the cultural future for your business and so it is vital that you find someone who understands your vision and can help to make it a reality.
Hiring your first employee is a major milestone for your business and isn’t one that you ever want to rush. Take your time and thoroughly screen candidates for the qualities and experience you need and be mindful of your own bias. Many business women make the mistake of hiring someone they know due to a personal connection over the skills of the individual, but this rarely ends well. By slowing down the process and carefully considering the hire you make at this stage, you will save yourself time and money in the long run.
BY TECHIE MAMMA