	Employing people
		Recruitment and getting started Taking on staff - the options Introduction Do you need new staff? What's the best way for me to take on extra people? Full-time or part-time employees Fixed-term contracts Employment agency - temporary staff Freelancers and outside contractors Directors and managers
		Paperwork
		Paying your staff
		Pension schemes
		Setting the rules
		Working time and time off
		Equal opportunities
		Health, safety and working environment
		Employee representatives and trade unions
		Organisational change
		Skills and training
		Motivation
		Dismissals, redundancies and other exits
		Disciplinary problems, disputes and grievances

Taking on staff - the options

Do you need new staff?

Before spending time and money on employing someone new, you should weigh up whether you really need to recruit new staff. To do this, look at your staffing needs in relation to the wider objectives of the business.

You may need extra help immediately or you may simply be thinking about your future staffing requirements. But in both cases it's valuable to plan as far ahead as you can.

You should consider why you're looking for extra help and how long you will need it for.

Ask yourself the following questions:

Are you replacing an employee who has left? If so, why did the previous employee leave and what skills and experience have you lost?
Do you need to bring in a new skill to your business that none of your existing employees has?
Has your workload increased? If so, is the workload likely to continue or is
it just a temporary increase?
What will be the impact of taking on a new staff member? Do you have somewhere for them to sit? Will you need to buy new equipment for them?
Do you need cover for yourself in the long term?

Alternatives to taking on new staff

Since recruitment can be expensive and time-consuming, other options you could
consider include:

re-organising the company structure
sharing work among existing employees
promoting existing staff
asking part-time employees if they would consider full-time work
improving the efficiency of the business, perhaps by rearranging tasks
offering overtime
adopting flexible working arrangements, eg allowing some staff to begin earlier/later to provide cover for a longer part of the day

Subjects covered in this guide

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