Employing staff

People are the lifeblood of any business so it’s important to hire well, from writing a job description to holding interviews, right through to onboarding your new employee.

The decisions you make now will ensure you get good quality staff who’ll help your business hum.

Regardless of whether you already have someone in mind or you’re starting with a blank slate, it’s important to write a job description so your new employee’s responsibilities are clear.

Spend time brainstorming. Think about what your business needs and decide what your new employee will be required to do, such as:

• The type of person you’re looking to hire. What sort of technical, physical, or personal requirements should they have?
• The problem you’re trying to address. What would success look like for the person in this role?
• The key tasks for the role, from the day-to-day jobs to one-off projects and special requirements.
• How many hours will the role require, and does it need to be performed fully in-house? Could you be flexible for the right candidate? 
• How much responsibility is required – will they be managing others?

A job description is not just about specific training, skills, expertise, and experience. You also want someone who’s a good culture fit.

So remember to include the type of personal attributes you’re hoping to see. Depending on the role, someone who’s resourceful, reliable, and a self-starter could be more suitable for your business than someone with a university degree.

If you’re stuck, it can be helpful to look online at job descriptions that are similar to the role you’re hiring for. But remember, each business is unique and has its own requirements, which means a ‘copy and paste’ job description could attract applicants that aren’t right for your business. 

Consider engaging a human resources expert to help you craft the job description as well as the ad. Chances are they have experience recruiting someone successfully for a similar role. Our article on hiring has more tips on what to consider.

Once you become an employer, there are a new set of obligations you’ll face – from being a responsible employer to filing accurate PAYE forms and payments.

For starters, every employee will require an employment agreement or contract, depending on their employment type. You can build your own using business.govt.nz's Employment Agreement Builder.

You’re responsible for keeping your staff safe at work (within reasonable limits). It’s important to get your new employee on board from day one so they’re contributing to a healthy and safe culture. Our guide to managing health and safety breaks this down for you.

Employers are generally required to contribute 3% of an employee’s before-tax pay if the employee is contributing to a KiwiSaver scheme. For more on the various types of tax you’ll need to pay as part of your obligations, see our guide on all things tax.

An online payroll solution like Smartly can help make managing staff payments, PAYE, and Inland Revenue returns easier. Talk to an ANZ Business Specialist or your accountant to see if this might be an option for you, and check out our payroll guide for some useful tips.