Taking on your first employee is one of the biggest steps a growing business can take. It’s exciting, but it also brings risk, and the decisions you make early on can affect your business for years to come.
Watch the video below, in which Chris at Newtons, recalls hiring the firm’s first employee and shares the lesson he learned about employment contracts and restrictive covenants as the business grew.
Lessons from Hiring Our First Employee Transcript
So I’ve been asked to recount the first employee that I took on. This was obviously a big step, it was me on my own to begin with. I was approached by one of my old colleagues who said, I want to come and work with you.
And yes, it made sense, it felt right, and I did it. But at the time, I remember thinking, I’m taking quite a big gamble here. I’m effectively gambling with my salary to pay this other person. I think, looking back, a big mistake that I made was not getting an employment contract in place.
Not particularly with the first few employees, but as we grew and took on more people, I then found when people inevitably left — something which you take very personally to begin with, but it’s just a fact of life — that I could have done with some restrictive covenants to stop them poaching clients.
But this is all part of learning when you’re setting up and running your business.
Get in Touch with Newtons Solicitors
Newtons Solicitors has offices throughout Yorkshire, the North East, and Cumbria, offering a range of opportunities for people at every stage of their legal career.
If you’re taking on staff and would like advice on employment contracts or protecting your business with restrictive covenants, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our friendly team. We’re here to help you grow your business with the right protections in place from the start.