You’ve now got an understanding of the basic laws around hiring employees from our last article HIRING Part 1 – Know the Law.

Step Two: Consider what your business needs.

Before starting the process of hiring a new person for your business, make sure you this is exactly what you need.

Firstly, the cost to simply advertise can be between $250-$500 on popular job boards. Secondly, the time it takes to effectively screen and shortlist applicants can really add up. Once you have a shortlist, you then have to dedicate time to interviewing these candidates to determine if they are the right fit for your business. If you are able to find a suitable person for your business through this process, you’ll then need to invest time into onboarding and training that person in their new role.

Now, when you think about all these steps, you start to realise recruiting a new employee can cost you more than you first thought!

Hiring a new employee may seem like the easy solution to an increased workload, or replacing an employee who may be leaving, but the fact that it can be such an expensive exercise means it is worth full consideration of your business’ needs.

Here are some steps to consider when deciding if you need to hire a new employee.

Future Needs

Think about what your business needs – not just now, but into the future as well. Consider the market trends in your industry and what your business goals are in the coming years.

Position Description

Put together a job description which outlines the duties, skills, qualifications, experience and personal attributes required for the role. This will help you define what you are looking for when you start your search for the most suitable candidate.

Remember, it is important to not adjust the role description to fit a particular candidate, to ensure the role meets your business needs.

Hours of Work

Based on the job description, decide whether the role should be part time or full time. If you are unsure whether there are enough tasks for a full-time employee, maybe part time is the best option for you.

  • Full time employees work 38 hours per week, on an ongoing basis. They have regular rosters, and can be asked to work additional hours as required, within reason.
  • Part time employees work less than 38 hours per week, on an ongoing basis. They have regular rosters, and can be asked to work reasonable additional hours when required.

Casual or fixed term options are also worth considering, especially when you have a new role, and you are unsure how the role will work long term.

  • Casual employees have no fixed hours and work as needed. They are paid hourly with a casual loading, as they do not receive leave benefits.
  • Fixed term employees are engaged on a contract for a period of time, they can be either full time or part time.

Refer to this article for more information on employment types.

Internal Promotion

Have you considered other employees already within the business for the role? Upskilling your team is a great way to retain valued employees and provide them with further opportunities in your business.

Market Rates

Know the minimum wage requirements for the role based on the applicable Award, and review the market rates for the role you are hiring before advertising. You want your advert to be attractive to the best candidates out there!

Need some assistance with pre-hiring requirements? Contact one of our HR consultants today!