The Planning Phase of Growing Your Team
This is the second post in the 5-part Growing Your Team series. To read the first post, The 4 Phases of Growing Your Team, click here.
If you've been thinking about growing your team for a while now, but you're not sure where to start and you’re feeling a bit nervous about the whole thing, then this post is for you!
One of the most common frustrations I hear from business owners who have tried and struggled with hiring is that they can’t seem to find the “right person” for the job. This is usually the result of poor planning or a lack of planning altogether. Which is why the first phase in Growing Your Team is Planning – and that’s what we’re going to discuss in this post!
I know what you’re probably thinking right now. Planning isn't the most exciting step in any project. I get it. I don’t really enjoy planning either and if I could skip it and get to the fun parts, I’d do it in a heartbeat! However, it's the one step that will save you the most time, frustration, and headaches, not to mention help you avoid making poor hiring decisions.
To help me get into the planning mindset, I like to remember the following truths:
Planning...
saves me time, money, and resources.
helps me create clarity around what I want and need.
allows me to make more intentional decisions.
reduces confusion, uncertainty, and wastefulness.
ensures my actions are aligned with my values.
You know the old saying, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail?” This is SO true for hiring. If you want to hire the right person for your team, the first place you need to start is to create a good plan before heading into the hiring process.
Let’s make sure to get your hiring journey off on the right foot with a strong plan! Below are some key questions to consider during the Planning Phase and resources to help you navigate them with confidence and ease.
Keys Questions + Resources for the Planning Phase
1. Am I ready to hire an employee?
This is a common question business owners ask all the time and rightly so. It’s a big decision to bring on team members and you want to make sure you get it right. There are two parts to this question – the practical side and the mindset side. I’m going to share tips and resources for both, so you have all the tools you need for wherever you find yourself struggling.
PRACTICAL TIPS AND RESOURCES:
While I can’t give you a definitive one-size-fits-all answer, there are some key indicators that will help you determine whether you’re ready to hire help now or wait a bit longer. Fast-forward to the 11-minute mark in this Facebook Live Q+A I did with Catherine Brukalo and the Alliance of Lady Leaders to hear my take on this important question!
There are also very legitimate reasons why someone might not be ready to hire. Just because hiring is what we help business owners do here at SproutHR, I don’t believe every business owner should hire or is ready to hire. In fact, I’ve probably guided just as many business owners away from hiring as I have helped others to hire! Take a look at 3 Reasons You're Not Ready to Hire a Team and see if any of these are true for you.
MINDSET TIPS AND RESOURCES:
Women often feel like we should be able to do everything on our own, which is why we put off hiring help for much longer than our male counterparts. This means that our businesses don’t grow as quickly (either in size or finances) and we’re unable to create the types of lifestyles and businesses we desire.
We also have a hard time asking for help for a variety of reasons and often feel guilty asking for help. Which is why I want to offer this mindset upgrade to you if you’re finding yourself struggling with the idea of hiring:
Hiring is one of the most incredibly generous and impactful things we can do in our businesses and in the world.
This belief is why I wrote the post How Hiring Creates an Impact Ripple, where I explore the ways in which you can create a massive impact in this world with the simple act of hiring just one employee. Because you don’t have to hire a team of thousands to create massive impact ripples in the world.
Finally, if you’re struggling with feeling like you’re not cut out to be a leader, you could be experiencing toxic stories. These are stories we tell ourselves about our abilities that hold us back from stepping into bigger roles in our lives and businesses. In my book Transform Your Stories you’ll learn how to overcome the toxic stories that are holding you back, so you can become a courageous, confident leader and impact the world!
2. Who should I hire first?
Figuring out who to hire first can be a bit overwhelming. If this is your first time hiring, you’re probably feeling pretty burnt out right now and may have a strong urge to hire one person to do #AllTheThings and get everything off your plate. I absolutely get that and I’m going to heavily advise against it!
The reason so many business owners feel disappointed in the person they hire is because they’ve tried hiring a unicorn. A mythical, magical creature to be all the things and do all the things in their business – and do them perfectly. Unfortunately, this isn’t realistic because one person can’t be all/do all and it will only set you (and your new hire) up for disappointment and frustration.
Get clear on who you should hire first with our FREE 2-minute quiz and shake off the confusion and uncertainty today.
Who’s The First Person You Should Hire?
Take our quick 2-minute quiz to reveal your best first hire and personalized hiring plan!
3. Can I afford to hire?
Once you feel confident that it’s time to hire and you know who you should hire first, the next question that pops up is whether or not you can afford to hire the help you need and deserve.
If this is where your brain is going, be sure to check out our FREE Payroll Challenge, where we give you a practical 3-step process to help you determine whether you’re financially ready to hire – and what to do if you’re not. Plus, there’s a fun bonus tip on making sure you can keep up with payroll after hiring!
4. What steps should I take?
If you’ve made it this far, you will naturally have some questions about the “how” of hiring. That’s why I’ve created helpful resources to get your hiring planning started.
First, tune into this great episode I recorded with my friend and attorney Autumn Witt Boyd, Founder of The AWB Firm, on The Legal Roadmap Podcast where we talked about hiring employees and contractors the right way in order to protect your small business. Or check out this blog post on whether you should hire a contractor or an employee on the SproutHR blog.
Then, tune into another great podcast episode I recorded with Lindsay Harle on the Businesses Are People, Too! Podcast, where we discussed aligning your people plan with your business plan. Because it’s all about strategy, baby!
Finally, check out our post on How to Create a Strategic Hiring Plan which will help you put all the puzzle pieces together for your hiring plan.
Final Thoughts
Now you know if you’re ready to hire, who you should hire first, and whether or not you can afford it. You’re also starting to get your plan in place, which means you’re getting closer and closer to hiring the help you need and deserve in your business!
In the next post in the Growing Your Team series, we’re going to dive deep into the second phase of the process, which is the Hiring Phase. I can’t wait to share all the details with you about this important part of growing your team!
Authored by Ashley Cox, PHR, SHRM-CP
