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Staffing & Management

Step 06

Essentials in Hiring & Managing Employees

As your business thrives, your need for additional help grows, as well. Take the necessary steps to ensure great hiring and management best practices.

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Most businesses require additional help to handle the hours and workload. If that is the case with your business, there are a number of things that must be followed so that you don’t find yourself in trouble with the state or federal government. It will be important for you to create job descriptions for each job, and to create an employee manual that guides employees on the policies that you want your employees to follow in your business.

By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.

Benjamin Franklin

Employment Considerations

Illinois Unemployment

Typically, a business is required to make unemployment contributions to the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) if they have: 1) employed one or more workers in each of 20 or more calendar weeks; or 2) paid at least $1,500 in total wages during the calendar quarter.

Worker’s Compensation Insurance

Illinois law requires employers to provide workers’ compensation insurance for almost everyone who is hired, injured, or whose employment is localized in Illinois. Sole proprietors, business partners, corporate officers, and members of limited liability companies may exempt themselves.

Minimum Wage & Antidiscrimination Laws

The IDOL web site is also a great resource for other important employer information including anti-discrimination rights
and the necessary materials that must be displayed in your workplace. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits
discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, sex, or ethnic origin.

Federal I-9 Reporting

The I-9 is used for verifying the identity and employment authorization of individuals hired for employment in the United States. Both employees and employers (or authorized representatives of the employer) must complete the form when hired.

State & Federal W-4

Completion of the W-4 allows the employer to withhold the correct amount of federal tax from the employee’s pay check. A federal and state W-4 must be completed by each employee at the time of hire.

Employee Management Best Practices

Ensuring employees perform to the best of their ability is a priority for every organization. Naturally, you want people to stay productive and efficient to make it easier to fulfill company goals and objectives.

Managing employees, and doing it effectively, is a challenge for many small business owners. Being in charge requires you to wear many hats, as you now need to add leading, motivating and managing personnel into your already hectic daily schedule. Effective leadership requires communication, consistency and mutual respect. Your goal as a manager is to create a cohesive work environment that motivates your team to consistently perform while instilling a desire to improve.

Ensuring employees perform to the best of their ability is a priority for every organization. Naturally, you want people to stay productive and efficient to make it easier to fulfill company goals and objectives.

Managing employees, and doing it effectively, is a challenge for many small business owners. Being in charge requires you to wear many hats, as you now need to add leading, motivating and managing personnel into your already hectic daily schedule. Effective leadership requires communication, consistency and mutual respect. Your goal as a manager is to create a cohesive work environment that motivates your team to consistently perform while instilling a desire to improve.

  • Find the Right People for the Job

Be selective in assessing potential hires with a detailed profile of who you want to work with and what specific skillsets the candidate must possess to be an asset to your company.

  • Understand Processes and Employee Roles

  • Have Good Communication

  • Invest in Employee Development

  • Give Recognition for Implemented Values

Self-Evaluation Tools

The following quiz is meant to be a tool for self- discovery and is intended to focus you in thinking about you and your business idea.

Have Questions or Need Help Getting Started?

Contact us via email or call the office at 815-233-1350.