The growing business handbook : inspiration and advice ... - Sparkler

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Taking on an
employee
4.3
Help wanted? Businesslink.gov.uk offers advice on how to comply with
regulations when taking on an employee and how to boost their skills
As your business grows you may decide to bring in outside help, particularly if
you think your business would benefit from specialist skills. Taking on an
employee can also free up your time, allowing you to pursue new opportunities or
markets.
However, some business owners believe employment laws are too complex and
this can deter them from taking on an employee. Keeping up to date with changes to
employment laws can be a greater challenge for smaller businesses, which often don’t
have the resources to employ dedicated HR specialists.
We’ve provided a summary of simple tips to help you through the process of
taking on an employee. We also look at how to conduct a training needs analysis and
ways to address any skills gaps to help you grow if you have existing employees.
Avoiding discrimination when recruiting
When hiring an employee you must make sure your recruitment and selection
decisions are made in a fair and non-discriminatory way.
You must not discriminate on the grounds of someone’s sex, sexual orientation,
gender reassignment, status as a married person or a civil partner, race, colour, age,
nationality, ethnic origin, national origin, religion or beliefs.
Discriminating against someone because they have a disability, are pregnant or
take maternity leave, or because they’re a member or non-member of a trade union is
also against the law. You must also avoid discriminating against someone because of
association, eg rejecting an applicant because they have a disabled dependant.
At all stages of the recruitment process, from writing the job description and
advertising the vacancy, through to interviewing candidates, making the decision and
making an offer, you should state clearly what tasks the person will have to do and
what skills they will need. Avoid listing any requirements that are not directly related
to the job, eg the candidate’s marital status or race.
You could consider using the services provided by Jobcentre Plus to help fill your
vacancy. Jobcentre Plus is a government agency within the Department for Work and