How to recruit the right employee for your London business

If business is going well and you're looking to expand, you may be thinking of taking on new employees. Before you kick off your recruitment, here’s how to get your processes and procedures in order.

Hiring someone new is exciting. By getting your employment strategy right from the beginning, you're future-proofing your business and giving your new employee the chance to do their best work for your company.

Here are some key things to consider when you're preparing to bring someone new on board.

Knowing exactly what the role requires

Make a list of requirements to help you find someone with the skills, experience and motivation you're after.

The talent pool in London is large, and you may have plenty of contacts or even potential candidates you already know. Or, you might need to contract an agency to work on your behalf.

However you do it, be very clear about the role you're hiring for. What skills and experience does the person need to carry out the tasks and responsibilities well? This sounds obvious, but it will help you hire the right person for the right reasons and avoid any issues later.

If you want to write a job description that clearly outlines what you're looking for, you can browse job adverts from other companies similar to yours for inspiration.

After meeting people during your interview process, take the time to assess candidates properly. Pick someone with the right mix of business skills and knowledge, who will click with you professionally and personally.

Preparing a contract of employment

This should set out all the terms and conditions that apply to the new employee's role. It will include things like:

• Working hours and place of work.

• Salary (and overtime, if this applies).

• Annual leave.

• Notice periods.

• Sick pay.

• Pension arrangements.

These are all the practical elements you should be clear about, so your expectations are met and your new staff member knows exactly what they're signing up for.

Making arrangements for managing payroll

If you're hiring someone for the first time, you might not have payroll set up. Payroll involves paying your employee the right amount each week or month, and deducting tax and National Insurance contributions.

You can do this yourself or you can contract out the work. By law, you must pay your employee their salary, produce pay statements and manage their tax and other deductions correctly.

Writing employment policies

At the very least, you should have a disciplinary and grievance policy. This sets out how you'll manage disciplinary issues and ultimately end the contract of employment if you have to (hopefully you won't!).

Other policies to consider are a code of conduct, and some form of attendance policy to include all reasons for why and when an employee should be at work. This sets out how you handle any questions, issues, requests and expectations.

Understanding what training your staff needs

Training is crucial to your business' development and success, and an employee will be more productive and efficient if they're well trained.

Rather than assume they'll pick things up as they go, set out your expectations and standards, and provide training to make sure your employee has the best opportunity to excel.

Be ready to provide training on aspects such as using equipment, dealing with customers, ordering stock or any other processes relevant to their job.

Sharing information openly

The best employees are engaged, informed and motivated. They'll look after your business even when you're not there.

So consider what information, plans and updates will be helpful to engage your employee and help them understand their priorities.

Aim to build trust, as employees are more likely to do things for leaders they believe in. You can develop this trust by listening and involving your employee in decisions.

No matter what type of business you run, your people, your team and your strategy are what will define your business and set it apart from the competition.

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