Avoid Hiring Headaches When Owning a Franchise
As with any business, employees are one of your greatest assets, and owning a franchise means spending a significant amount of time recruiting staff. Unless you’re running a one-man show - or are fortunate enough to have found a franchisor who will handle it for you - hiring will consume a lot of your time and attention. Recruitment is an ongoing obligation, and improving this process will pay dividends for your business.
Today’s post is directed to those who are interested in owning a franchise, but hesitant to take on unfamiliar “HR” duties. Read on to learn # tips to avoid hiring headaches.
Understand Your Franchisor’s Role in the Hiring Process
The franchise agreement should clarify the degree to which the franchisor is involved in recruiting. Most franchisees will be responsible for all decisions pertaining to the hiring, firing, training, wages, and supervision of their staff - they typically work for you, not the franchisor, though their work does contribute to the overall strength of the brand.
Understand Your Hiring Needs
There is no standardanswer for the hiring needs involved in owning a franchise.
Staff requirements differ depending on which industry you’ve invested in. Full-service restaurants may have upwards of 80 to 100 employees on hand, which can put a lot of responsibility on your shoulders. However, as we’ve discussed repeatedly, owning a franchise is not synonymous with restaurant ownership; there are literally hundreds of franchising opportunities aside from the Boston Pizza’s and Tim Hortons of the world. Some industries need expansion staff rosters, while others work best with tightly knit groups of people with special skills.
Staff requirements also vary depending on seasonal variations. For example, retail staffing needs tend to increase during the holidays.
Is outsourcing an option?
Franchises in industries with a high demand for labour will occasionally outsource their work to contractors, temp workers, and freelancers around the world. Fortunately, there is a growing demand for temporary work as job-seekers get accustomed to the flexibility and refreshing changes of scenery this style of employment provides. Some progressive franchises even work with recruitment departments or develop programs to bring in foreign workers.
If outsourcing certain aspects of your operations is an option for you, it is highly recommended!
Educate Yourself on Employment Standards and Labour Laws
Different standards and regulations apply to businesses depending on your location. Provincial Human Rights Codes prevent discriminatory hiring practices, and outline certain questions that cannot be asked during the interview or recruitment stage. Furthermore, a number of privacy laws exist that may affect your approach to hiring. Though learning these rules and regulations will consume a bit of your time and effort, it’s worth it to keep your company compliant!
Polish Your Hiring Process
One of the big appeals of owning a franchise is getting access to established operating systems for start-up, training, marketing, expansion, and so forth. Established systems make things easier to organize, increase productivity, and provide tangible short-term goals for franchisees to strive towards - so why not create an established system for your hiring process, too?
The recruitment process typically involves the following steps:
- Advertising the position through various media assets to generate enquiries
- Gathering and reviewing resumes or applications to vet quality candidates
- Conducting group or individual interviews
- Checking any references or sample work that was provided
- Begin orientation and training programs
Learn more about owning a franchise
We hope these tips have been of use to you! You can learn more about owning a franchise, recruiting quality staff, or get advice on available franchise opportunities by visiting http://www.frannet.ca.
About FranNet Canada
FranNet is a 29-year-old company with roots in the U.S. Its purpose being to nurture every entrepreneur’s dream of business ownership. We actively employ a specific profiling and consultation method. This method is geared to each investor with a specific business model and based on franchise trends typically found in Toronto, Ontario, Vancouver, British Columbia, or Calgary, Alberta. The most lucrative Canadian franchise opportunities are waiting for you. For more details visit - http://frannet.ca/buy-a-franchise/canada-franchise-buying-process/
