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Taking on staff

Hinty

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If any of you employ - at what level of work did you take staff on? Would you do it again?

I know it can be tricky trying to get the first employee up and running - before you take them on you are massively over worked, and canvassing on top - or alternatively take a bit of a hit on income if take them on and then build.

I have been fortunate inasmuch that my wife comes out with me when i am over run - so helps keep things under control - and then I managed to find a good lad that wanted a few days per week while at college.

Now though - spring is here and the work is coming in - My college lad has left to concentrate on his studies & the age old question comes into the mind - Employ, or not employ?

I have recently re-structured my work, cut out the time wasters, and changed over to a monthly cycle instead of 4 weekly - so can keep up ok, but as the insurances, PAYE scheme etc are all in place it seems a shame not to push forward.

 
My last employer employed me because he was doing 7 days a week between 8-12 hours per day, what made his mind up was he was getting behind on work sometimes by 7-10 days he took me on part time at first on min wage moving to full time on a very good wage.

Think.... Can you afford it, are you working so much you have no life are you getting behind on work to the point where you might start becoming unreliable, if you are employ

 
The worry I think is if you left one employee to do a round on his/her own, then they will get used to the customers. What's stopping them from leaving you, starting up on their own and then pinching those customers that they have been working with over several months? The customer wouldn't know any difference?

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I think its really tricky in this industry where you customers are out in the open and regular.


And it doesn't take a lot of money to start up most people could afford to do it,

 
I have always took lads on when I need them for the work. eg. doing 3rd story ladder work and need footing etc.

So I only sub-contract, and only 2-3 days pm.

Maybe picking up enough work and taking someone on for a day a week, so you don't take such a big wage hit, yet free up a bit of time to canvas more work. And see how that goes?

 
i have a guy out just 1 day a week ( 1 weeks hes out 2 ) at the mo, but considering taking him on full time and me taking a loss of wages for a while, this will give me the time to knock like mad, and build the run up so i can afford to pay him 3 days and hopefully we will only be cleaning windows 3 days.. giving me time to do other jobs...

he is a good friend and i can trust him to do a good job.. but my advice is be careful hiring friends or family as it is easy to lose them as a friend! happened to me a few times!!

we are a small business, my dad started near 25 years ago and had always worked alone so just had a run he could manage on his own.. i started off approx 5 years ago, slowly built up a decent run for myself and after a fall out with an employee ( brother in law ) me and my dad have gone together.. i help him he helps me we keep our own cash..

but i have been thinking bigger lately and want to build the run up to have 4 of us flat out for 3 days..

 
Hope it works out well for you.

Completely agree with being careful with friends & family - would always recommend having a written agreement about exactly how it's going to work.

I had a friend work "with" me a few years ago - had his own round, but worked at different speed / quality to me which resulted in a bit of friction.

All sorted out - but would hate to lose a good friend through work,

 
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