It can be an exciting time when you are ready to hire your first employees. After trying to manage your small business on your own, you are finally ready to add some much-needed support.
Employees can be a tremendous asset and help you provide a positive face for your company. However, when something goes wrong with your staff, it can devastate your business.
These are some of the most common mistakes business owners make with their new employees.
An employee handbook is good for everyone
Sometimes the term “rules” can have a negative connotation. A handbook gives you and your employees the freedom to know what they can do.
Part of supporting your employees means having an employee manual and keeping it up-to-date. The handbook is a guide that includes your expectations for your staff and what they can expect from you.
Being smart when it’s time to say goodbye
Missouri is an at-will employment state. While it does mean you or the employee can end your relationship at any time, you should still use caution.
If your employee believes that your reasons for dismissing them are because of discrimination, you could still face an employment law claim. When it is time to dismiss an employee, it is better to document your reasons.
If there are performance issues, you should have a paper trail of documentation of conversations with the employee. If there are more serious issues where immediate termination is appropriate, you should make sure you document what happened and your discussion with the employee.
Often, dealing with the human resources details of your business is not where your interest or skills lie. You should talk to a skilled professional so you can avoid some of the issues that are easy to overlook.