Hiring employees checklist
Are you thinking about hiring staff for your business? Use our checklist for small business owners to help you meet Australian laws when hiring an employee. We’ve also included some tips that might help you through the hiring process.
Assess your business needs
Before you start, it’s a good idea to assess your business needs so you can hire the right person for your business. Think about:
- the tasks you need the employee to do
- any skills and qualifications they’ll require
- how busy the job will be
- how long you think you’ll need someone for
If you are unsure about the skills and qualifications you need, check the relevant award to get an idea about relevant skills and their pay rates.
Decide on the employment type
- full-time or part-time employee
- fixed-term (non-ongoing) employee
- casual employee
- trainee or apprentice
The type of worker you decide on will affect your obligations to your employee and the government.
Know the difference between an employee and contractor
You need to consider a range of factors when determining whether someone is an employee or contractor of your business. It’s important that you know the difference and get this right.
Know what you’re in for
Consider whether you can afford the potential costs and impacts on your business, including:
- recruitment costs
- wages
- allowances, overtime, penalty rates and leave
- tax and superannuation (super)
- workers’ compensation insurance
- changes to your workplace to make it accessible and safe
- changes to the way you operate your business
Advertise and select an employee
To hire the right person for your business, take time to:
- prepare your job description
- advertise the position
- evaluate applications and interview candidates
- make an offer