In the early days when you’re just starting out, the thought of hiring more people on board feels something of a pipe dream.
However, over time, it soon becomes clear that this is the only option. Or is it?
There are some tough questions to ask before pledging to make your first recruit as once you make the move, it’s very difficult to turn back.
Based on this, let’s now take a look at three crucial questions to pose before you make your decision.
Is there Sufficient Demand for You to Add to Your Workforce?
The vast majority of businesses in the world function around seasonality. For some, it’s based on the festive season, while others will prosper in the summer months when the temperatures soar.
Sure, there are some that are quite constant all year round, but generally speaking, you’ll be used to peaks and troughs.
Bearing this in mind, where are you at in your current journey? Are you looking at recruitment following an exceptionally busy period? In other words, are you looking at it from a biased point of view when in reality, over the next few months, demand will reduce and you won’t need those extra pairs of hands.
It’s important to calculate this from the outset. Let’s not forget that there’s nothing wrong with hiring temporary workers to fill a void, but in terms of your long-term recruitment strategy, think long and hard about how much demand there truly is all-year-round.
Have You Calculated the True Costs?
When you’re bringing someone new on board, there are a number of costs that you need to take into account. The most obvious one is their salary, but there are a host of other associated costs as well.
For example, you’ll need to take into account the likes of National Insurance, pension contributions, and holiday entitlement. There’s also the small matter of office space, equipment, training and even your new insurance obligations.
In short, there’s a lot more to it than meets the eye and you need to ensure that you have a firm grip on the numbers before you progress any further.
Do You Know What Type of Person You Really Want?
This is a crucial question and one that’s often overlooked. Just because you need an extra pair of hands, it doesn’t mean that you should hire the first person that comes along.
After all, this is a decision that could potentially make or break your business. With that being said, it’s important that you have a good idea of the type of person that you want to bring on board, and what they are going to do for you.
This is where you should perhaps work backwards. Far too many businesses think they need more manpower, but when it comes to the crunch, they don’t quite know specifically what they need. It means that recruitment phases are often haphazard and end in disappointment for all parties.
As such, make a solid job description that aligns with your true objectives, and go from there.
