Starting a Small Business
Hiring Staff
Sometimes, it is very advantageous to not have to mince your words or not have to say things that are politically correct. I'd find it terribly difficult to be a politician or suchlike where they're damned if they tell you fibs, and they're even more damned if they tell you the truth!
Here is my truth about Staff. I can fully understand if you find the following perspective to be somewhat disturbing or perhaps at worst, somewhat sociopathic; however, it is the truth as I know it.
Most employees are completely and utterly useless! Not only this, but a certain proportion of them will rob you blind. You cannot trust the great majority of staff to use thier innitiative, as they will make a complete horlicks of it. It makes me feel a little bit depressed to have to admit to this point of view, but I can barely see any evidence to the contrary.
The only thing you can possibly do to protect yourself, as a business owner, is to make sure you only hire competent and decent staff, who are going to be an asset to your business, and not a liability.
One single bad employee can easily bring down a small business.....easy peasy lemon squeasy! I know someone who has brought down at least three small businesses due to her total and utter incompetence. She is now working in education and it would barely surprise me if she could also bring down a whole school somehow.
And also, there's an added most awful sting in the tail. These crap employees are also invariably the ones who will know their rights as employees the most. This is a frightening nightmare of a situation for a small business.......when you find out that you can't actually sack this cretinous member of staff!
Oh boy, they know their rights down to the last letter and will have every quango, legal-aid, lawyer and who knows what else seemingly to have fallen right behind their case. These most awful members of staff exist all over the place, I really hope you don't end up with one.
First things first, try not to actually employ anyone if you can help it. There's lots of people who are working as freelance who may be able to do the job, probably better.
Don't believe a word of what's written on a C.V. If you interview someone, make sure that every last detail on there ties up with their story. Yes, people do actually lie on their CV, and yes the Pope is a catholic!
Make damn sure you speak personally to the references given on the CV and again, make sure it ties up exactly with what you've been given. HOWEVER, here comes a twist in the tale........If the employee is currently with the employer, and you are taking a reference from the employer, then think about this for a moment.......
That employer may be absolutely desperate to get rid of this particular employee.......if he or she is not the straightest nail in the pot themselves, then do you really think that they are going to tell you exactly how the wretched toad of a worker has brought the firm to the edge of doom.........no they may not.......they may well paint a much rosier picture altogether.