If you own a franchise business or a single location franchise owner, you know how much work it can be to run it. You may not have to deal with all the stresses of running a business, but being a franchise owner or franchisee comes with its own set of challenges and responsibilities. You have the advantage of having the framework and branding materials for the franchise, but what about hiring people? You probably became a franchise owner to run a business, not be an HR expert, right? Luckily, there are solutions to help you run a successful franchise business and NOT become an HR expert, too.
I'm a Franchise Owner and Need to Hire People! Now What?
Running a franchise business poses unique hiring challenges that a sole operator might not encounter as often. As a franchisee, you’re also likely the one who has to answer most interview questions about your business or license brand. This makes it important for you to understand specific criteria potential employees will evaluate when making their hiring decisions and how to hire accordingly. Before thinking about how to hire staff, first consider how many staff members you need and if contract labor is feasible for your particular situation. Hiring contract labor means hiring someone who is not an employee of yours but works for another company that specializes in contract labor, like Task Rabbit and UpWork. Sometimes hiring contractors instead of directly from within your company can be more cost-effective than having employees on payroll or contracting with outside companies on a regular basis.
Is Hiring Staff is a Good Idea for My Franchise Business?
In order to hire staff, you first have to decide if you want to hire outside workers or use contract labor. Contract labor is when you hire someone who is not an employee of your company. It can be great in certain circumstances, but it isn’t recommended for every business. Other scenarios where hiring contract labor may make sense include: If you’re unable to find a suitable candidate within your local area, or if you have some specialized tasks that you don’t want to bring on a full-time or contract basis. Also keep in mind that the latest employment law requirements may prohibit hiring independent contractors for your franchise business. Here are a few articles that detail AB-5 law regulations, and what you need to know to stay compliant and avoid fines:
When hiring staff for your business, you’ll want to consider your needs and strengths with special attention to the needs of your customers. Who are your target customers? What do they need or want? What are the specific roles your customers have? Once you have this information, it will help you better determine the specific roles you need in your business and the types of employees you might need.
Be Clear About Your Franchise Business' Requirements and Expectations
Next, be clear about the requirements and expectations of employees at every level. From the very first interview, you want to make sure hiring managers and employees are on the same page. It’s important that there are no misunderstandings or miscommunication about the roles and expectations for each person’s job. When determining the requirements for an open position, you’ll want to include information that is specific to your business. If there’s a specific technology or software your employees will need to use, you’ll want to make sure this is included on the job requirements. Be sure to clearly state the criteria for hiring so that everyone is on the same page from the start. If managers have different expectations for their employees or what is required for the job, this can be a problem down the road.
What's the Hiring Process for New Employees at my Franchise?
When you’re hiring new employees, you’ll want to follow a defined hiring process. This should include an application process, background checks, and interviews. After an application is reviewed, you’ll want to conduct an interview with the top candidates. Interviews can be very helpful in determining whether to bring someone on board as an employee or as a contractor. You can ask the right questions to clarify knowledge, skills, and abilities. Interviews can also be used to identify red flags and to determine whether an applicant will be a good fit for your organization and team. Interviewing new employees is particularly useful if you have a franchise business. You may have a general idea of what some of your new hires will be doing and what skills are needed. But you want to make sure that anyone on your team can do their job well, as well as work well with others.
Need help hiring? Band of Hands will help you find candidates who've already completed their onboarding and background checks. We'll make sure you're compliant with employment laws and that you are onboarding legal, pre-vetted candidates for your franchise business. We'll also handle their HR, Payroll, workers comp rates and payroll taxes all for one low flat fee.
How to Find Staff Through Job Boards and Other Sources
Using job boards and other staffing services to find employees can be helpful in certain circumstances. With these services, you can filter results based on location, experience, and skill sets. This can help you find the best talent for specific roles. If you’re a franchise owner, you may want to consider hiring through a staffing company. In this case, the staffing company will manage the hiring process and make sure you only hire employees who meet the franchise standards.
Note that staffing companies can be expensive, especially if you didn't factor in this cost as a new franchise owner. If using a staffing company, you'll likely be paying upwards of 30-50%+ markup for each person you hire.
Band of Hands offers the same services of a staffing company but without the markup. Everything is included for only $10/employee per week. Contact us to learn more and offload the costs and burdens of using a staffing company (or, trying to manage the hiring process alone as a franchise owner.)
What if I Hire Someone Who Isn't a Fit? How Do I Fire them?
Firing someone is never easy. It's difficult for both the employer and the employee. When you have to let someone go, there are a lot of considerations to take into account. First of all, you need to make sure that you have valid reasons for the dismissal. You can’t just do it because you feel like it, even if your gut tells you something isn’t right. You also need to think about your long-term goals, as firing an employee will probably come back to bite you in the ass later on. If you want the person to remain on board for the next few months or years, for example, you might want to consider giving him or her a raise or offer some other incentive to keep them happy and productive.
Before you actually fire an employee, you have to do everything properly. If you do it hastily, without taking the necessary steps, it may result in an uncomfortable situation for everyone involved. Furthermore, legal issues may even arise that could do a lot of damage to your business. If you have an HR professional in your franchise group, they will be the person to handle and document such measures. But as a new franchise owner or franchisee, you likely do not. Therefore, it is essential to make sure you do have everything documented and accounted for. This article provides more specifics on how to fire an employee.
Band of Hands is your partner in hiring, employing, and even firing. We help small business owners and franchise owners succeed by taking the stressors of employment off their plates. If you, as a franchise owner, hire someone and even need to fire, we will handle that for you. Additionally, you can use our job boards with pre-vetted candidates who are onboarded and ready to work!
Is there an easy way hire and employ staff? (Yes!)
Hiring staff for your franchise business can be challenging. There are many factors to consider, such as the needs of your customers and the type of people you want in your company. When hiring new employees in your franchise business, make sure you follow a defined hiring process. Also, make sure that they have the specific skills and abilities needed by your customers and team.
By using Band of Hands as your hiring/staffing partner, you can alleviate the burdens of trying to be an HR expert on top of being a business owner. We help franchise owners and franchisees staff their businesses to potential, and handle the complexities of employment for you.
Band of Hands is a one-stop shop "HR in a Box" solution that handles everything from hiring, onboarding, payroll, payroll taxes, HR, compliance and more for one flat low fee.
Learn more at www.bandofhands.com/how-it-works
Ready to have the upper hand?
Contact us to learn more get started today at sales@bandofhands.com.