Employing Staff

My top 10 tips when taking on staff are as follows:

1.       Write out a job description so that you know what the role is that you are recruiting for and the duties that you expect the person to do. Consider writing out a person specification too so that you can identify what sort of person and their traits would best suit the role.

2.       Interview and selection, this is always difficult. Perhaps consider a trial day or a trial week so that you can get to work with the person before making that ultimate commitment.

3.       Obtain proof that the person is eligible to work in the UK (see https://www.gov.uk/legal-right-work-uk)

4.       Make sure that you pay the person at least the minimum wage and bear in mind that this is age dependent and it is also reviewed annually (see https://www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage)

5.       Put the job offer in writing along with a contract of employment. Consider having a probationary period.

6.       Take up references, at least one professional and one personal.

7.       You will need employees liability insurance as soon as you become and employer.

8.       Your employee will be entitled to holiday pay, the minimum of this is 5.6 weeks per year which usually equates to 28 days for full-time employees. (See http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1374)

9.       You will need to inform HMRC that you are an employer and you will be required to run payroll and file submissions with HMRC. Melanie Curtis Accountants are experts in payroll processing and all of the legalities involved with this.

10.   You may need to enrol your staff into a workplace pension, these are new rules that may affect you, (see https://www.gov.uk/workplace-pensions-employers) Melanie Curtis Accountants are experts in Auto Enrolment both setting up your scheme, monthly processing and all of the legal compliance.