Recruit for a clear role
Define the work, essential skills, pay, hours and reporting line before advertising. Separate requirements someone genuinely needs on arrival from skills you can teach. A realistic description helps applicants decide whether the job suits them.
- Use role-related selection criteria and apply them consistently.
- Prepare interview questions and keep a record of the reasons for your decision.
- Plan any adjustments candidates need to participate in recruitment.
- Check that your offer, written terms and actual working arrangements agree.
For employment checks, payroll and pension preparation, use our first-employee checklist. Acas also provides recruitment guidance for employers.
Make the first weeks useful
Prepare equipment, access and a first-day plan before the employee arrives. Introduce their manager and colleagues, explain safety procedures and show them where to find workplace policies. Spread training across the induction rather than delivering everything at once.
Agree what success looks like in the role and schedule early check-ins. Tailor support to the person and their working location. The Acas induction guide includes a practical planning checklist.
Retain people by understanding what needs to change
Ask employees about workload, support, development and what makes their work harder. Look for patterns in feedback, absence and departures rather than assuming pay is the only issue. Choose changes you can deliver and tell the team what will happen.
- Keep expectations and workloads realistic.
- Recognise useful contributions and give specific feedback.
- Offer relevant training and explain opportunities to progress.
- Help managers address concerns consistently and promptly.
Manage performance throughout the year
Use regular conversations to review progress, agree objectives and identify training or support. Where performance falls short, explain the gap with examples and agree achievable next steps. Consider whether unclear instructions, missing resources or health-related needs are contributing.
Keep a record of agreed actions and review them. Acas recommends regular reviews in its performance management guidance.
What if a new employee is not meeting expectations?
Raise specific concerns early and check whether expectations, training and resources were clear. Agree support and review dates rather than waiting for a surprise verdict at the end of probation. Our probation guide explains how to structure the process.
Connect recruitment with day-to-day management
We can help connect your job descriptions, induction, manager guidance and review processes, so recruitment leads into consistent day-to-day support. Start with the stage that is causing the most difficulty rather than adding paperwork your team will not use.