Fifty-two per cent of B.C. businesses operate without paid help. Hiring the right employee saves time and money; so if you’re one of B.C.’s sole proprietors thinking about growth, listen to our experts: Sandra Miles, president and CEO of Miles Employment Group Ltd; Marie Capewell, founder of M. Capewell & Associates; and Nicole Byres, a partner with Clark Wilson LLP in Vancouver.
Miles maintains that when you can afford an employee, hire for work you shy away from. And if you’re having trouble finding the right person you should hire a temp worker and wait. “Fit and attitude is absolutely important, but skill is equally as important,” Miles explains. Once you find your protege, Capewell emphasizes keeping an eye out for prospective employees, even when you don’t have space for someone. Lastly, ensure that what you’re hiring for is imperative to maintain or grow your business because squandering resources is disastrous for a young company.
Don’t be cheap; be pragmatic. “It’s really difficult for a small company to provide training,” Miles cautions. An entrepreneur is already short of time, so hiring because it’s cheap (or free) only guarantees more work for both parties, she adds. However, Byres advises a more experienced hire is also more likely to jump ship: protect yourself by writing up how much notice will be given or pay in lieu of notice, since severance is calculated by age, years of service and position.
Capewell has learned the hard way to ensure employees can play nice with others. “As soon as it came to sharing responsibility or just working with other people, my employee had huge issues,” she confesses, saying she spent a year struggling with it. “Having a reality check on you’re the entrepreneur and they’re the employee is absolutely critical,” Miles offers. “They’re not your friend, they are there to work and add value to the company.” Miles maintains that having an orientation program mitigates problems through establishing expectations and communication.
Byres warns that every small business should create an employee contract to protect their company from employees they may lay off. A confidentiality clause will protect information such as a secret formula, exclusive client base or patented process; a non-solicitation clause prohibits former employees from actively soliciting your company’s clients; and creating terms of termination allows you to fire employees if they aren’t appropriate for your business, Byres explains. “Do it before they start working though; otherwise there’s an issue of consideration, and it might not be enforceable,” Byres notes.
