Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) have reshaped the housing market and have started changing the working world, too, with more and more homeowners transforming their granny flats into a home office, which allows them to avoid certain tax implications as well as save up money on paying rent for a regular office.
However, despite the benefits that such units bring to small businesses, many business owners are still in two minds concerning the transformation of ADUs. Let us take a closer look at home-based businesses in ADUs and clarify certain moments.
So, you have decided to use your in-law suite as an office for the workers but don’t know how to hire employees? Well, there are certain elements that you need to outline in your job descriptions and requirements to avoid any inconveniences in the future, and one of such elements, and maybe the primary one, is that the work is ADU-based. This working environment is hard to call traditional, so remote employees should know how to stay focused, self-motivated, and adaptable to it.
As for other requirements, for most home-based businesses, they are the same as if you were placing a vacancy for a normal position. According to the employment laws, you have to outline the job title, responsibilities of the employees, the necessary qualifications, working arrangements, and any legal or regulatory requirements.
For business owners, hiring an employee should be difficult only for the first time, as after your first hire, you should work out an effective process of getting every local top talent. The success of your business depends entirely on whether you will find the right person or not, which can be complicated by the fact that they have to work remotely.
Still, the process should include the following steps:
As we have stated in the previous paragraph, conducting a well-structured interview is an essential element of hiring remote workers. To understand whom an independent contractor can call prospective employees and to whom it is better to bid fairwell, it is essential to know some interviewing techniques.
First, your interview has to be well-structured. It means that it should include a variety of behavioral, situational, and skill-based questions. Next, present hypothetical scenarios that your possible remote employee has to solve. This will underline their problem-solving skills, adaptability, and other benefits. Also, check their motivation by asking about their experience of remote work, which will be crucial here.
In order for an interview to go well, take notes or record the answer of the possible remote worker. The analysis of the answers given is the last step toward finding an employee for a remote position.
Both part-time employees and full-time employees should understand, after they have successfully passed your interview, what to do in this position. Even though they surely have certain experiences, every job is different and requires an understanding of duties, and that’s where onboarding can save the day.
This first step is vital for both parties, the small business owners and employees, but it depends entirely on the employers. The owners should prepare everything a hire may need, for example, necessary tools, software, and equipment. Moreover, they create an onboarding plan where employers underline key milestones of the whole process.
After a warm welcome and acquaintance with the company’s mission and values (can be done using an employee handbook), provide in-depth training. This may include video conferences and virtual training sessions where you or experienced employees discuss possible tasks and needed skills. Encourage your workers to give feedback and ask any questions.
The employee benefits are that their training does not end after the onboarding process is over. It is a long process, and they can grow professionally all the time if you provide them with relevant articles on the matter or organize seminars. This will make them a more valuable employee that can be responsible for a variety of different tasks.
When employees check open positions on special sites, they should understand at first glance their goals in your business and have clear expectations based just on the info in the job ad. Another moment to keep an eye on is KPI. Key Performance Indicators include productivity metrics and customer satisfaction, which is valuable if you are looking for ways to assess the performance of employees. Also, it can help them to check what competencies they are lacking and how to achieve them.
Business owners should also control and recognize the achieved goals and important milestones. Usually, it is worth spending some resources on rewards for the best employees to boost their and others’ motivation to work harder.
Every business should value and appreciate the time and effort employees spend while working in their company, but for some people who manage companies, it may be quite difficult to pay attention and provide feedback concerning their employees’ efforts. Let’s take a look at some strategies that will help you provide feedback easily.
The strategies for providing feedback include:
However, the most important fact is that you should remember that any communication opens ways for you to show appreciation. So don’t forget to say a good word to your workers at any time.
After you hire employees, it is your responsibility to control the workload of your remote workers. For sure, working remotely can put a strain on productivity, so it is important to manage working hours correctly. One way of doing so is the introduction of flexible scheduling. It is important to know how much time your employees spend on doing the tasks and offer them the possibility to complete them whenever they want.
Also, you can provide remote workers with training or resources that will help them figure out how to manage time successfully. For sure, remote work requires good self-discipline, which some may be lacking. To compensate for this, offer them time-tracking tools.
What is more, you can regularly assess the workload and time needed to complete work. If needed, discuss your concerns and adjust them to achieve a more fair distribution.
With due diligence, resolving even the most difficult conflicts is a piece of cake. The main idea behind every successfully resolved critical situation is communication. Both you and your employees should not be afraid to speak their minds and discuss even sensitive information. However, it is your task to create a safe environment so they can put forward their concerns.
Other important elements include early reaction (it is better to solve problems right away or even before they become a problem), collaboration (solving anything without the participation of both parties is impossible), and feedback (underline the behaviors of both parties and outline borders). Hopefully, these tips can help you solve any conflicts that may occur.
Maintaining morale and motivation is especially important when you work with remote employees, as in-house conditions may damage the productivity of a new hire. However, there are some strategies that help independent contractors in this matter.
Independent contractors should pay attention to the following elements:
Understanding legislation in your area and federal laws is a crucial element for independent contractors who want to hire employees and organize their business. First, you should set up payroll systems to calculate salaries and wages (for workers on a part-time basis). Check the requirements for minimum wage, overtime, or payment schedules. Next, implement health insurance and workers’ compensation in case of any dangerous situation that can occur with an employee. Also, while you hire employees, you can establish employment contracts or agreements where you outline all the rights and responsibilities your remote employees have.
With these pieces of advice, you will not break any laws, and hopefully, your company will flourish. Remember that laws are subject to change, so check any novelties in the sphere proposed by the federal government. Or you can hire a special company that will take care of the payroll, tax, and other legal moments.
As we have said in the text, one of the many benefits of having an ADU on your lot is that you can set up your small business and use it to provide your team with a comfortable working environment. Also, you can set up a business in another sphere and rent out your property for tenants. Other benefits include the possibility of having your neighbors nearby.
Having set up the company, you will still have to pay different taxes. For example, the property tax is one you cannot omit. You can entrust your taxes to a special person by hiring a professional working in this sphere or by contacting different companies. This allows you not to worry about your business and sleep well.
By hiring employees in your team, you should tell them about different benefits you offer. Their office will not be in some skyscraper, but rather in a comfortable home with all the necessary utilities. Also, by economizing on rent, you can make the payroll higher for all members of the team. Next, it will be an interesting experience for the team as there are not many companies in the industry that practice such an approach to organizing the business.
