You Want to Hire your First Employee? A Practical Guide for Growing Your Business:
Hiring your first employee should be about unlocking growth; the most successful founders follow deliberate, low-risk approaches. At BASE Bordon, we support early-stage businesses through their growth, including their first hire. Here is how to approach it to set your business up for success:
Identifying the Hiring ‘Hinge Point’
The best time to hire is when there is a hinge point in your business progress; such as when demand is consistent and you’re turning work away, when you’re stuck doing low-value tasks instead of growing the business, or when growth is slowing because of a bottleneck that a new hire could help resolve. The most important part of hiring someone is making sure you are financially ready for the responsibility and that there is clear role definition. Being based at BASE Bordon gives you access to business support and a community of founders who have been through the same stage, which can help you make informed decisions.
Choosing the Right First Role
Your first hire should be a multiplier, so it’s vital to start with a role that gives the biggest return on investment. Most start-ups benefit from hiring a generalist who can support operations and other areas or someone who complements the founder’s weakest area. Another good tip is to choose the lowest risk hiring model first; consider whether you need someone full-time. If not, options such as contractors or freelancers may work best. Explore our workspace options to see how your team can scale with us at BASE Bordon.
Understanding the Legal and Technical Requirements
Technicalities are also key when hiring your first employee. Before someone starts, UK founders must complete some non-negotiable steps:
- Register as an employer with HMRC
- Set up PAYE and payroll
- Provide a written employment contract
- Complete Right to Work checks
- Take out employers’ liability insurance.
Hiring for Culture, Values, and Adaptability
Hiring should be done with attitude, values, and flexibility in mind. Your first employee will set behavioural norms and influence how the business ‘feels’ to customers. We recommend prioritising alignment and adaptability over more important skills at the hiring stage; scenario-based questions can help test how candidates think in uncertain environments. Even though you’re hiring within a small business, onboarding is still crucial as it improves retention and productivity. Clarifying responsibilities and priorities early on as well as scheduling regular check-ins can help your first employee settle into a culture, they want to be part of.
Workspace Support for First-Time Hiring
BASE Bordon offers support to help with first-time hiring as we provide professional, credible environments and can offer meeting rooms for interviews and onboarding. Furthermore, our business support can help advise on reducing financial risk and can help improve your access to support networks to help you through the hiring process. Your first hire is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make, and your workspace should support it, not restrict it. At BASE Bordon, we are designed to grow with you, giving you the freedom to hire when the time is right, scale your space as your team evolves, and avoid the risk of long-term commitments. Get in touch with us today to book a tour or find the right space for your growing team.
By Lorna McBain