Your small business isn’t quite so small any more and you’re ready to add to your team — but how? Adding employees is a daunting task for business owners used to going it solo, from selecting the right person to training and evaluations. Here are some tips for small business owners ready to start hiring.
Start with a goal-setting session.
What are your goals for adding an employee? You won’t be successful in adding a new employee if you don’t first figure out exactly what you want. Take a few minutes to write down your goals for the new employee. Do you just want to be able to take some time off? Do you want to expand sales? Get specific — what tasks do you want the new employee to handle? What changes would you like to see i the business as a result of that new hire?
Identify the qualities you need to obtain those goals.
To find the right fit, next figure out what qualities will help an employee reach those goals. For example, you may want to hire an employee that is adept in the areas that you aren’t. Figure out which qualities are most important to helping you reach your goals, then, rank those qualities in order of importance. Keep that list in mind as you consider the job candidates.
Make a plan.
When will the new hire start? How will you measure the new employees performance? What kind of training will the new employee need? These are all questions that you should answer ahead of time. Take the time to outline the steps that will need to be completed in order to reach the goals from the goal-setting session.
Create an environment that allows for growth.
Hiring the right employee, and creating goals and plans is only part of the process. Environment matters. Build the type of work environment that encourages success. Create rewards for meeting goals. Make a positive work culture with simple things like bringing in doughnuts or taking employees out to lunch.
Regularly return to that goals list.
Don’t wait to analyse how those original goals are being met. Evaluate the new employee regularly and offer guidance and direction when those goals are not being met, and praise when they are. In fact, it’s a good idea when setting those goals to determine how you’ll measure the success and how often.
Assess your own performance, too.
If you’ve never had employees before, that first hire turns you into a manager. And just like that new hire needs to learn new skills, you’ll need to develop some management skills too. Take the time to consider what you could do to improve as a manager and be open to ways to improve.