As a start-up founder or entrepreneur, you have many talents. You’re innovative, have a knack for solving customer problems, and are a strong leader. Something you may not be particularly skilled in, however, is the human resources function (HR) within your business. And that’s okay, you don’t need to fulfil every role in your business, or have insight into this specific function, to run your business effectively.
But you need to know that your company’s HR is essential. If your staff don’t feel supported and areas like their pay and benefits aren’t attended to efficiently, they’re more likely to leave your company sooner than expected. That’s why it’s essential to get your HR department (or resource) set up as early as possible within the development of your business.
We don’t want to bog you down with stuffy theory, but we would like to share our top HR advice for small businesses.
Start with payroll
One of the first and most important aspects of your business that you need to set up is your payroll system. Whether you hire a virtual assistant who is skilled in payroll or you outsource to an HR consultant, it’s essential that you get this right from the start.
There are some great free payroll software available for you to use, but it might be worth your while to invest in a paid solution. After all, investing in payroll is an investment in staff retention.
Staff who are underpaid, incorrectly paid, or paid late are far more likely to look for other opportunities than remain loyal to your business.
Your employees are the heart and soul of your business. Be sure to take care of them from the minute they walk through the door by setting up payroll first.
Recruitment and hiring
If your small business is at the point where you’re ready to start hiring a team, congratulations! Your hard work and dedication are paying off.
If there’s one thing you absolutely want to get right from the start, it’s your recruitment process. From outsourcing your roles to virtual employees, to recruiting for in-house positions, you need to ensure you have an effective hiring process in place so that you recruit the right talent at the right time.
The average cost of a bad hire can be over £132,000 per year.
Our top advice is to really hone in on your job description. If you want to attract the best talent, ensure your job advert sells your business as a preferred employer. Be clear about the daily responsibilities that would be required from the candidate and outline what your ideal staff member looks like.
Onboarding processes
You want your staff to start out on the right foot. To ensure this happens, you need a seamless onboarding process.
There’s nothing worse than starting a job and not knowing what you’re meant to be doing or where to find what you need. Make sure that you design an onboarding programme that helps new employees to settle in quickly, understand your business, and learn about your expectations.
Did you know that a virtual assistant can help you with your HR function? At Outsourcery, we have multiple virtual assistants on board who are specifically trained and skilled in HR. They also have an in-depth background in this important business function. So, whether it’s for payroll or writing job descriptions, hire a virtual assistant today. Visit our website to find out more.
