The Dos and Don’ts of Hiring Employees and Contractors

If your company relies on employees to generate revenue, then you probably have a set of hiring policies in place. Comprehensive hiring policies for employees are very good to have, but they are only useful if they allow you to avoid the major issues that come with a hiring process. The same type of attention should also be placed on bringing in contractors to perform any type of task.

Get Your Policies Reviewed

You should never use policies to hire employees or contractors that have not been fully reviewed by an experienced corporate attorney. A policy that might have been perfectly acceptable two years ago could be illegal now, and it is your responsibility to make sure that all of your policies are up to date.

Make A Contractor Checklist

Most companies have a checklist they follow when it comes to hiring employees, but it is surprising how few companies follow the same process for contractors. It is important to make sure that every contractor you hire is properly certified, licensed, and insured to do the job. You will also want to make sure you review the work history of a contractor and also review their posted safety policies.

Hire Based Only On Need

Recruiting should be a year round process where you are constantly updating your database of potential employment candidates, but you should only hire based on need. Too many companies invest the time and money necessary to hire an employee without any data to support the hiring. If your company has grown to the point where you can no longer accurately anticipate your employment needs, then you might want to consider scaling back your operations.

Ask For Information On A Contractor’s Employees

The work a contractor performs for you is a reflection of the entire company and not just company management. When a contractor performs tasks on your behalf, it is your name that is going to be attached to the final results. Before hiring a contractor, make it a point to review the qualifications of each contractor employee who will be working on your project. You should create a stipulation in your contractor agreement that allows you full access to contractor employee profiles before you approve a contractor for work.

Conceal Personal Information Of Employment Candidates

One of the best ways to avoid violating hiring laws is to make sure that each resume and application does not contain personal information for the hiring managers to see. Anything that could indicate a personal attribute of a candidate, such as their name or gender, should be removed from the information that hiring managers see to make your hiring process fair and effective.

Don’t Be Afraid To Do A Background Check

If you are hiring for a position that would be directly responsible for handling your company’s finances, then do not hesitate to use a background check to help screen potential candidates. There are many unethical ways to utilize background checks that can get your company in trouble, but gathering information that will protect your business should always be a priority.

Hiring employees and contractors is a part of business operations that will never go away. You should do everything you can to make sure your processes are as effective as they can possibly be.