So, what is the secret of effective teams?You are an entrepreneur and have The Idea, the impetus, the vision and the capital. If you thought getting to this stage was difficult, you obviously haven’t tried recruiting yet.
Your team should not be a random collection of people who roll into your premises every day; instead, it should be a group of talented, hard-working, dedicated employees who will propel your startup to greater heights.
Recruit in haste, repent at leisure
After all the energy you have put into establishing the startup, you could be forgiven for applying the same methodology to recruitment; however, this is an area of business that needs contemplation. A 2014 report by Oxford Economics demonstrates that hiring an unsuitable candidate, for whatever reason, can be very expensive.
The report estimated that the cost of replacing a member of staff was over £30,000. This astonishing figure reflects two aspects: lost productivity before a new candidate is found and the reduction in output while the next person learns the job. It is easy to be consumed by the pressure of launch dates, going live and your natural enthusiasm to get the business going; however, when you think you have found the right person for your winning combo, take a step back, reflect for a while and let the decision sit before you make the offer.
Let them off the leash
Presumably you will be hiring adults, so why not treat them as such? Not everyone fits into the strictures of a nine-to-five routine; in fact, a tech startup in Sweden found that the most effective working day was just six hours long:
You can go even further and allow home-working on a regular basis, which can actually improve productivity. Some people are more efficient ‘out of hours’ and home-working can extend working activity, with the early risers completing tasks first thing and the after-dark types carrying on through the night. It is also a tangible way for the company to show that it trusts its staff, encouraging a positive feedback cycle of loyalty from the employee.
Make them part of the family
There is a lot more to work than just showing up and you will want to put together a team that is supportive of your business ideals and of each other. For this to happen, your team members will need to feel part of something.
Try to develop a culture that feels like a special community. Although the duties, working conditions and salary are all vital ingredients in the job description, it will be the human connections that determine employee fulfilment. You might be building a team, but never forget that it is comprised of individuals.
As Linus Feldt of Stockholm-based app developer Filimindus points out, happy staff make for a happy company.
Join Over 40,000 Recruiters. Get our latest articles weekly, all FREE – SEND ME ARTICLES
Recruiters love this COMPLETE set of Accredited Recruitment & HR Training – View Training Brochure
