Planning on starting a new business? There will be many key areas that need attention when launching a startup, including market research, writing a business plan, and securing funding, but one area that you must not overlook is HR. It is important to prioritize HR when starting a new business so that you can properly look after your employees, avoid issues and create a platform for your business to grow from. Often, you will find that startups make the same mistakes when it comes to HR management. This article will examine a few main mistakes and how they can be avoided.
Not Using An HR Specialist
It is clear that HR is a key department for any business, and mistakes in this area can be costly. Therefore, it is worth outsourcing HR to a specialist as a new business. By outsourcing to a specialist, you can ensure that HR is managed to a high standard and that your people are properly looked after throughout the entire employee journey. Using an HR specialist will ensure that you are legally compliant from day one, are able to attract and retain talent, and common HR issues are avoided. HR Dept Bristol can support startups and will give entrepreneurs more time to focus on the other important areas that need managing when starting a new business.
Rushing Recruitment
One of the most common mistakes that startups make is rushing through recruitment. You might be keen to launch the company and get started, but you need to have the right people in place; otherwise, it could be hard to succeed. You might also find it hard to create the kind of company culture that you want. Therefore, you should start recruitment work early and take your time to find people that will be a good fit for the company culture with a strong work ethic. Keep in mind that you can always use training to overcome skills gaps.
Not Learning About Employment Law
When starting a new business, you might not be an employment law expert, which is understandable. You certainly do not want to find yourself entangled in a messy legal issue shortly after launching your business, which is why it is important to educate yourself on current employment law so that you can ensure compliance from day one. Additionally, keep in mind that employment law often changes, so you must try to stay abreast of the latest changes and developments in this field.
Neglecting Team-Building Activities
You must also remember that you are building a team entirely from scratch. This means that your entire workforce are complete strangers to begin with, which can create some issues. Therefore, you should not neglect team-building activities early on to develop chemistry, improve communication and create a positive workplace culture. Team-building events are a great way for employees to get to know one another, but you should also arrange informal social events that allow people to relax and get to know one another outside of a workplace setting. It is important to know that it will always take time for your team to gel, so do not worry if your employees do not immediately unite after launching the business.
Lack Of Training
When bringing in an entirely new group of people to work for your business, you need to make sure that each and every team member knows how to thrive in their role. This is why you need to invest in training and provide support during the early stages. Additionally, do not forget to provide ongoing training and carer development. Many startups struggle with employee retention as employees look to move to a bigger, more established company to advance their careers, so you want to avoid this by ensuring that employees can develop their careers by staying at your business.
Not Collecting Feedback
Another common mistake that is made is not collecting feedback from your employees. You want your employees to provide feedback so that you can determine areas of the business that can be improved and bring new ideas to the table. When starting a new business, there are likely to be inefficiencies and areas of the business that could be improved, and you might find that your staff have the best ideas. Collecting and acting on feedback can also create a team-based mentality and make your employees feel valued.
These are some of the most common HR mistakes that startups make. By avoiding these mistakes, you will put yourself in a much stronger position to succeed with your new business.
