A small business owner’s guide to employing someone for the very first time
Congratulations! If you’re reading this then you’re about to take your small business to the next level! Scaling up is an exciting time, so try to celebrate and not get too bogged down with the technicalities of employing someone for the first time.
Your new employee will help your business when its at its most delicate stage. They really could make or break it. If you’re looking for advice on how to hire the right person, we’ve got your back.
How to go about employing someone for the first time
1 – Get familiar with hiring
If this is your first business, there might be a bit of a learning curve when it comes to hiring.
You need to know all about salary, job types, advertising vacancies and so much more. Check out our full range of hiring resources for more help.
Be sure that you’re:
- Paying your new employee the right, legal amount. Check out our guide and the government website for more help.
- Checking the right to work status of your new hires. If you’re hiring someone that’s not a UK citizen, be sure to check out their visa and whether they need sponsorship. For help with hiring international talent, check out our guide and the government website for more info.
- See if you need to arrange a DBS check. The government website can help with that.
2 – Ask for help
If you need a helping hand with hiring, you should really consult the experts: us. If you’re looking to hire a talented new co-worker, sign up today.
3 – Look into all the boring legal bits
The next bit is less of a learning experience and more of a snooze fest. Don’t worry, all the checks you have to do can be whittled down into five simple steps:
- Get your insurance sorted. You’re going to need employer’s liability insurance to take on your new hire.
- Write, check and prepare a written contract of employment. This will need to be sent on or before your new hire’s first day, so it’s best to start working on this one early!
- Get your employee handbook ready. All of your new hires should read your employee handbook to get to know your business, goals and their new job. Preparing one is a mammoth task but can be done easily.
- Register as an employer with HMRC. This is not one to forget!
- Have a think about things like pension schemes and expenses.
4 – Take a moment to smell the roses
As a small business owner, this should be one of your proudest moments. Your new hire will hopefully make your life a lot easier, take over some of your work and bring in big business! So take some time to celebrate your success – this is huge!
Be sure to prepare your new hire’s onboarding and induction: they will hopefully be a key player in your company for years to come! For help with inducting your new employee, download our free Induction Checklist.
If you want to make the process of employing someone for the first time a lot easier, outsource the grunt work to DigitalGrads. We’ll help you write job descriptions, advertise roles, source and interview candidates and embark on your big hiring journey. Leave it to the recruitment experts.