People & HR
Your first hire changes more than your headcount.
Taking on people can transform what your business is capable of — but it also brings new responsibilities. Here's how to do it properly without turning yourself into an HR department.
Hiring your first person is one of the biggest transitions in a small business. Yesterday you were responsible for yourself.
Now somebody else's pay, time, work, development and experience partly depend on you.
But good people also give a business something incredibly valuable: capacity.
The 10 People & HR Non-Negotiables
What every small business owner needs to know before — and after — their first hire.
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Growing from you → to two
Your first employee is a business milestone nobody really prepares you for.
Yesterday, you were responsible only for your own workload. You set the pace, made the calls, absorbed the pressure.
The moment someone else joins, everything changes. Another person now expects clarity about what they're doing, regular pay they can rely on, direction when they're unsure, honest feedback when things aren't right, and a decent place to spend their working day.
But for the first time, your business gains something that changes everything:
capacity.
It is the beginning of building something that doesn't depend entirely on you.
capacity.
I'm ready to hire
Hiring Hacks
Five things that make the difference between a good hire and a difficult one.
Write the advert for the person you actually need.
Not the person you'd ideally like, or the person who'd impress a corporate HR team. What does this specific role actually require? Start there.
Describe a normal Tuesday.
Candidates learn more from what the job really looks like than a paragraph of corporate adjectives. Walk them through a typical day before they accept.
Decide your non-negotiables before interviewing.
It's easy to hire someone you like and discover they can't do the job. Define the skills and qualities the role actually requires before you meet anyone — then assess against those, not your gut.
Ask for examples, not adjectives.
"Tell me about a time when..." usually tells you far more than "Are you organised?" Specific past behaviour is the best predictor of future performance.
Don't disappear after they accept.
A good onboarding experience begins before their first morning. A short message, a clear start-day plan, and someone to meet them at the door costs nothing and makes a real difference.
Worth reading alongside this
GDPR for Small Businesses — What You Actually Need
When you hire, you become responsible for employee data. Here's what GDPR actually requires of a small employer — without the legal jargon.
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Business Insurance for Small Businesses
Employer's liability insurance is a legal requirement the moment you take on staff. This covers what you need and what you can skip.
ReadNot sure what you need to do as an employer?
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