Hiring, Employing, and Firing

04/09/18 • 32 min

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On this episode of Get to the Contest Small Business Podcast, I will be talking to Tony Scott, senior consultant for Employsure, Australia’s largest workplace relations firm. We will be talking everything about the employment: from the hiring, training to the rules of firing an incompetent employee. Listen in and we’re sure you’ll be able to pick up useful tips on the employment process.
Get to the Contest Takeaways!
Get it right the first time.
It’s not easy to get everything right the first time especially when it comes to hiring. But to help you with this, you need to be very clear on your expectation and the adaptability of the new hire to the work culture of your company. If this is not clearly stated to a new hire before he/she accepted the gig, you’re setting yourself up for trouble.
Take your time.
When it comes to hiring, do not rush. Take your time in interviewing and make sure to document the procedure. Be selective and never opt for the next best thing just because it is available for right now. Finding the right candidate takes time but the search will ultimately be fruitful once you find the perfect fit for the job. If need be, hire a professional to do the hiring process for you and your business.
Set the tone.
Set the expectations and present your company’s work culture upfront. It is important for the candidate to see the job at face value. This will give you a much better chance of this person adhering to the job at hand.
Policies and procedures are a must.
Before even employing people, you have to set policies and procedures in place. You cannot implement policies if you do not have them in writing. This will help you manage your employees and develop discipline in the workplace.
Fairness in firing.
Firing an incompetent employee is inevitable. Performance management of an employee is a must to test the person out. Get your expectations documented and clearly discussed with the employee ad make sure you have established procedural fairness. If you fail to establish this, it can be very costly.
Take time out.
Step back and take time out when you feel the need to. It’ll give you perspective and you will enjoy work more. Overall happiness is the ultimate goal when it comes to work-life balance.
Tony Scott’s Get to the Contest:

“I talk a lot about work place culture. I think there's a direct coloration between morale and productivity. For any business to be successful, and indeed using the football analogy, for any team or any sporting team to be successful you have to have a cohesive team. We all have to be singing from the same hymn sheet as it were, and I think, for me, is it. How you get the right culture, and how you have everyone singing from the same hymn sheet is the challenge, but that is the key. “

Next Episode

Steps To Take When Your Business Is Struggling

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In this episode, we will be hearing from Mitch Griffiths of Rhapsey and Griffiths Insolvency and Advisory. From keeping track of the financial standing of your business to learning on focusing on your strengths as a small business owner, you will learn that and more in this episode of Get to the Contest Small Business Podcast so make sure to stay tuned.
Get to the Contest Takeaways!

Be prepared to say no, always be on and ignore the noise.
Starting or running your own business can take the unnecessary noise with it. You’ll hear a lot of opinions, suggestions, and criticism. It is important to reflect and ignore all the noise.
Do what you do and do it well.
Identify what you are really good at, focus on it, and you are sure to do it well. With success comes a lot of different opportunities as well, but also be prepared to say no to projects that are not the right fit. If you focus on things you truly excel at, this will allow you to specialize and be a lot more successful in your chosen field.
Know your numbers.
Always have updated records of your business finances to keep track of your financial standing. By having this information available at any given time, you can review and see if the business is doing well or is struggling. This will allow you to make decisions, take actions early and turn the business around before it’s too late.

Don’t stick your head in the sand.
If you are facing business or financial difficulties, face the music and never ignore them or tend to them on a later date. These challenges are part of the reality of owning your own business. Sticking your head in the sand will not make them go away but only worsen them. Do all that is necessary to have a quick turnaround with regards to challenges: communicate with your key stakeholders, talk to your accountant, talk to the ATO, just don’t ignore them. There is always a way out.

Stay close to your accountant and lodge on time.
One of the best relationships you can invest in, especially throughout your professional career, is to find the accountant that fits you perfectly. The guidance of an accountant can be priceless because this allows you to focus on the growth of your business. Your accountant can help you analyze your figures, make sure that you jump on things early, and take action. An accountant can advise you very well on ATO matters and lodging your taxes on time, which if you consistently do on time, will benefit you and your business in the long run.

Don’t trade as a sole trader or a partnership if at all possible.
It is really cheap insurance policy to have a company or a trust with a corporate trustee rather than trading as a sole trader or a partnership. If you do the latter, you are really exposed. Remember that when you are trading as a sole trader or partnership, there is no differentiation with regards to your personal and business assets so in a situation where liquidation is a possibility, trading as a company can help you save your significant personal properties and key assets.