In this edition of “Ask the Board,” we feature Daniel Ramsey, CEO and Founder of MyOutDesk, a company that provides virtual staffing solutions to businesses in various industries. Below, Daniel shares five top tips for entrepreneurs and small business owners who want to attract (and retain) their initial team members.
1. Develop a strong company culture
A strong culture can attract like-minded individuals and foster a cohesive team. As you’re hiring your first round of employees, develop a strong and clear mission, vision, and values for your company. You must have a strategic plan in place, understanding what problems you are solving for the customer, where your company is going (and why), and how this employee will help to further this strategy.
2. Get specific on the roles
It’s important to have an ironclad plan to launch someone into your business within their specific role. For most, that is a job description for the role you are looking to fill. This should not only include their daily tasks and responsibilities but also the outcome their role should be accomplishing.
3. Consider outsourcing
Simultaneously, identify tasks that can be delegated beyond your company. Don’t be afraid to outsource non-core functions to virtual assistants or specialized agencies. This can include administrative work, customer support, or marketing assistance where it may be more cost-effective to outsource and conserve your internal resources.
As you’re hiring your first round of employees, develop a strong and clear mission, vision, and values for your company.Daniel Ramsey, CEO and Founder of MyOutDesk
4. Set your team up with the proper tools
The right technology and hardware can make or break your team’s productivity and ability to do their job. At minimum, this should include a company email and phone (complete with voicemail and texting capabilities), a password vault to save passwords on the cloud, and a task management platform to keep track of what is on each team member’s plate.
5. Train your team
Once you’ve hired these initial employees, you must onboard them properly. It can be time-consuming to launch an employee, often taking 90 to 180 days to see their full value. To help streamline this process, you have three key options: buy, borrow, or build.
- You can buy training platforms for your team to learn about both your industry and the skills needed to complete each role.
- You can borrow from peers in the industry, pulling in what has proven successful from other companies.
- Finally, you can build a training platform that is unique to your company and employees, drilling into your policies, platforms, and offerings. While this is the most timely and costly, it will ultimately pay off in the long run by training your employees properly from the start.
Conduct an audit
Once you’ve established your new team members and given them the 90–180 days to see their full value, take time to do an audit on each member’s role. Look at their job description and their outcomes to see if you are accomplishing what you set out for. From there, you can adjust accordingly, offering additional training or insights to help them achieve their goals.
CO— aims to bring you inspiration from leading respected experts. However, before making any business decision, you should consult a professional who can advise you based on your individual situation.
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