3 Things to Consider When Hiring Staff

Hiring for the first time

If you are going to become an employer or hire staff for the first time, there are certain things you need to know. For example, you need to register as an employer with the Swedish Tax Agency. You can do that at verksamt.se. Every month you need to report to the Swedish Tax Agency which expenses have gone to employees. You do this in a form for employer declaration on the Tax Agency’s website. 

How much does it cost to hire someone?

The salary for an employee will cost you and your company more than the salary itself. A little quickly, you can say that the salary will cost the company 54% more than the salary amount itself. Thus, one can calculate: 

gross salary x 1.54 = cost 

What you as a company then pay in addition to the salary itself are holiday allowances, employer contributions, insurance, and special payroll tax on pension contributions. Some fees differ depending on the age of the employee. For example, it may be cheaper to employ pensioners or young people. You can make a more accurate calculation at Verksamt.se. In addition to that, you may want to give your employees benefits such as health benefits. 

Employment agreement

Always draw up a written employment contract. An oral agreement also applies, but you must specify the terms of employment in writing no later than one month after the employee has started work. Check whether you are bound by a collective agreement and consider the provisions contained therein. At Verksamt.se there is a template for which parts should be included in an employment contract. 

Higher’s best tips when hiring new staff

We have extensive experience in helping companies hire new staff who are perfect for the role in a smooth way. By following our tips, you can avoid falling into the most common pitfalls right away. 

Get more job applicants

1. Make a good job ad: The job ad is your first contact with potential candidates. It should be attractive, short but informative and may contain images and videos to give a more comprehensive picture of the company.
2. Advertise jobs on the right platform: Choose carefully where to post the ad based on where the candidates are. In social media, it is especially important that the message is short and clear.
3. Career page: Have an attractive career page. It should be easy to apply for a job, you don’t want to lose good candidates due to complexity.
4. Keep an open mind: Avoid creating preconceived notions about who would be suitable for the role. Focus less on the resume and more on the candidate’s current commitment and drive. Be aware that the ability to create a good CV does not necessarily reflect the candidate’s suitability for the role.

Read more about our best tips for expanding the candidate pool here. 

Recruitment guide

Higher has a recruitment guide that helps you on your way, looks at trends and the future of the recruitment industry. It gives you good insights into how you can be at the forefront of the candidate journey, tests in recruitment and video recruitment. 

Read our Recruitment Guide here!

Use a digital recruiting tool

A document-free and mobile-based recruitment tool saves time and resources. This means that the job seeker can answer questions directly on the mobile instead of sending in a CV and cover letter. Higher’s recruitment tool is easy for both jobseekers and employers and ensures you get the right person in the right place in the company. 

Automatic feedback to the candidates

All candidates deserve prompt and relevant feedback on their application, regardless of how far along they are in the process. All recruitment tools and ATS (application tracking systems) should include the possibility of automatic feedback via e-mail or SMS. 

Remember to see a new hire as an opportunity to introduce new perspectives into the company, instead of just trying to replace the person who previously held the position. Read more about how you can make recruitment more efficient here. 

We can help you!

Higher’s user-friendly recruitment tool is based on selection questions, tests and video presentations so you can recruit skills-based, open-minded and accurate. Book a demo today! 

Author: Nicklas Wikblad

Reviewer: Moa Jacobsson