For a lot of businesses, people are the most valuable asset. With these tips, improve your HR to attract and keep the best employees, and help your team to develop with the best perks.
Draw up a job description, no matter how low level or simple the job
The more information you get down, the better chance you have of finding the right person for the job. Cover things like the level of skill you need, what training is needed, and how much experience or responsibility the job needs. You can use services like servicenow HR to improve your recruiting.
Use specialist or trade publications to target job ads
If you need to fill a position, consider advertising in a specialist or trade publication. You can ask people in the industry what publications they read. If the job isn’t too specialised, you could consider in the local newspaper, which is usually quite affordable, and reaches people in a commutable area.
Always take references
Before somebody joins your company, get references. It’s a good idea to contact a referee direct on the phone, as they are usually more responsive this way than in an email or a letter. Ask questions like, ‘would you re-employ this person?’
Get help from your friends and family
Recruitment can be costly, both in terms of time and money. Think about whether you need somebody full time. Help from friends and family can also be an option for small businesses, and it won’t cost you any money in advertising. If you need someone specialised for the short-term, it can be worth paying for contract or temporary staff.
Make employees feel welcome
The first three months of employment with a company are very important. Make sure you make your new employees feel welcome. Set up an induction into the company with training and a buddy system to help a new hire with any questions or concerns they may have.
A business is only as good as the people who work for it
As a small business, you can be closer to your staff, suppliers, and customers than larger ones can. Get your employees involved in the work culture from the start, and keep them up to date with your progress and any developments that may happen in the future.
Use incentives other than money
A competitive offer doesn’t need to be only about money. Flexible working, like flex-hours or job share, can let you tailor benefits that suit the individual employee. Look at what motivated each of your employees. Some might look for job security, whereas some want the room to grow. Group days out or brainstorming sessions with a fun activity can also motivate people.
Appraise your staff regularly
A good appraisal system should allow for realistic, but challenging, objectives. You should also have interim reviews to make sure objectives haven’t changed and give the opportunity to find any training and development needs. Who is best positioned to carry out these reviews?