Hiring can pose unique challenges for startups.

5 quick tips for startups looking to ramp up hiring

August 30, 2019 5:58 pm Published by Leave your thoughts

Getting hiring right is difficult for any business. It's particularly challenging for startups working with shoestring budgets and limited cash. Many entrepreneurs go years running a company before achieving profitability, something that is normal when launching a new venture. Finding ways to expand staff during that time is critical to driving growth, but inherently difficult because of the financial limitations that startups face. These five quick tips can help you think critically about your hiring practices and determine what is right for your business.

1) Put resources into scouting and onboarding
An Entrepreneur report explained that investing in employees is often a great way for entrepreneurs to drive growth. One way to do so is to really emphasize the scouting and onboarding process to ensure that you are not only identifying and recruiting the right people for your business, but also getting them started in a positive way that puts them in the best possible position for success.

2) Think about wellness

"Investing in employees is often a great way for entrepreneurs to drive growth."

Working at a startup can be physically and emotionally draining as employees wear a lot of hats and have to grapple with frequent change and general instability. Entrepreneur recommended focusing on health and wellness. You can do this by blending benefits, high standards for work safety and a strong work-life balance. Perks, such as workout spaces in the office, health fairs and the life can also promote wellness in the workplace.

Don't undermine your hiring efforts by neglecting employee health and losing workers to burnout.

3) Leverage stock options and similar financial benefits
Startups often can't compete with the market on salary. However, they are uniquely positioned to give employees a financial stake in the business that could pay off down the line if the company grows. Stock options and similar benefits are increasingly standard when hiring workers for a startup, and they're a great way to bring in top talent and keep workers engaged in the process of growing your company.

4) Get creative
According to Hire by Google, some startups are taking particularly creative approaches to recruitment, such as working to interact with prospects in more organic ways in place of formal interviews or leveraging virtual reality to give remote candidates a chance to get to know the office via a virtual experience.

These types of plans may seem like the kind of flashy concepts tech companies use to catch headlines, not necessarily change hiring culture, but they showcase how recruitment has changed in today's fast-moving business world. With employment methods shifting toward a gig economy, remote work and more flexible employment options, getting creative in hiring can help.

5) Bring in legal help
Hiring can be a minefield of regulations and discrimination issues. A business attorney can help you evaluate your options more fully and understand any legal ramifications of choices you make. Ultimately, having a lawyer on retainer or available for occasional check-ins and advice can go a long way in protecting your startup.

Hiring is never easy for startups, but a blend of legal help and innovative strategies can help you bring new employees in and set them up for success.

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