I always recommend to my business coaching clients that they spend a little time each year reviewing their human resources pillar and their team as a whole before starting the hiring season. Not only will this give you a good plan for the year ahead, but will help prevent any possible issues down the road with your new hires.
This seems like a given, but I can’t tell you how many business owners I have worked with that will go on a hiring spree without looking at their current team’s strengths and weaknesses. Ask yourself: Do you have dead weight or low performers who really should be cut? And is everyone in their correct position to utilize their skills and talents? Maybe you have a team member who has recently graduated college or is working toward a degree in another department. Would they be better suited in that department instead of hiring someone new? Is there someone on your team who really enjoys working on projects outside of their department? It might be time to investigate and move individuals that would be better suited elsewhere.
After looking at your team, you want to also dedicate some time to talking with everyone to make sure that they are clear on what their roles are within your organization. Not only will this help you identify any gaps that need to be filled, but may also help you get a clearer picture of where you can have your current team members shift their focus to reach your larger company goals. Ask the following: Do each of your employees understand what his or her job is and how that job fits into the bigger picture of the company? Do they know the key results they are responsible for and how the company will measure them on those responsibilities? Do they have a clear understanding of the resources and authority they have in pursuit of these key results?
Another area that you want to pay attention to before you bring more team members on is in the area of payroll, benefits, and legal issues. How well does your company do at complying with all local, state, and federal labor regulations? How well have you trained your staff on issue like sexual harassment and HR best practices to stay out of legal trouble? And are you able to handle payroll and other issues with ease? If you struggle in any of these areas, it’s imperative that you find the right team members (or third party) to help get your team back on track before hiring additional staff.