When you’re hiring new staff for your home-based business, there are a number of things to consider. With the right candidates, your home-based business can flourish, so it’s important to take your time and hire the best employees for the role.

Identify your terms

Whilst hiring subcontractors or freelancers, rather than employees, can be an effective way for home-based businesses to access great candidates whilst avoiding the need for so much red tape, there are still certain requirements you’ll need to meet.

If you hire employees as a home-based business, you may still need to adhere to a number of regulations and employment laws. Knowing your country’s rules regarding employment is vital to staying on the right side of the law.  For example, you may be responsible for not only paying their wages but also deducting and paying their tax and insurance contributions. 

You will be able to find lots of information and helpful templates online for managing your own payroll.  For example, you can choose to build paystub with pay stub blank template to create a professional looking payslip.  There will be health and safety rules you need to adhere to, data protection and also you'll need to provide paid holiday, and possibly sick pay.

Instead of hiring an actual employee, it might make more sense to make use of virtual assistants or use the services of other freelancers.  It could be a lot easier, but make sure you are following the rules that ensure they are actually freelance and shouldn't be classed as employees.  Plenty of organisations offer free advice to home-based workers who want to take on new employees, so make the most of the help that’s available.

Carry out interviews

Hiring employees for a home-based business often gives you the opportunity to cast the net wide and access the best candidates out there. If you’re looking for remote workers, you won’t necessarily be able to meet them face-to-face, but you should always conduct at least one interview with a potential new hire.

Fortunately, technology makes this easier than ever before. With video conferencing and VoIP systems, you can liaise with candidates and conduct interviews easily and quickly.

Remember – most employers conduct more than one interview when they’re hiring new people, so don’t be afraid to use a lengthier recruitment process when you’re advertising a home-based position.

Use data driven recruitment

When you’ve got numerous well-qualified candidates applying for the role, how do you know who to hire? Should you rely on gut feeling? Does their academic experience take precedence? How much weight should you place on their references and recommendations?

Choosing the right employees can have a significant effect on the success of your business, so it's important to use a tried and tested method when it comes to candidate selection. Data driven recruitment relies on technology and specialised techniques to parse data and identify the top candidates.

With most people uploading new personal data to the internet on a daily basis, data driven recruitment allows you to get a better understanding of candidate’s and ensures you have an objective way to assess their suitability.

As well as taking their CVs and applications into account, data driven recruitment allows you to source data from other areas and analyse it in order to determine whether they would be the right fit for your business.

Background checks before hiring

Conducting background checks in the UK is crucial, especially for home-based businesses. In the UK, performing thorough background checks ensures compliance and mitigates risks. Verify credentials, employment history, and any criminal records relevant to the role. This step ensures you make informed decisions and maintain trust within your remote team.

Final word

Hiring employees is one of the most difficult functions for businesses, and it’s not any easier for home-based businesses. With so much riding on your choice of candidates, using objective and data-based solutions like alumni management systems can be one of the most effective ways to identify the applicants who are likely to make the best employees in the long-term. The alternative to hiring is to source freelancers and virtual assistants if they can suit your business needs.