Human Resources

Your first hires shape the company more than any strategy document. Hire slowly, be clear, and treat people well — that is most of HR in a small company.

Contractor or employee?

Get this right. Misclassifying someone can be costly. If you control when, where and how they work, they are probably an employee. Alberta’s employment standards set the minimums; pay attention to overtime, vacation and termination rules.

Good early practice

• Write down what the role is for and what success looks like before you hire.
• Use simple agreements and a real onboarding, even for a first hire.
• Give feedback often and early; do not save it for an annual review.
• Pay fairly and on time. It buys more loyalty than free snacks.

Where to look for people

Red Deer Polytechnic co-ops and grads, Technology Alberta’s job board, and the local community are all realistic talent sources. Remote work widens the pool enormously.

Do this next in Central Alberta

• Alberta employment standards — the legal minimums
• Technology Alberta — tech talent and job board
• Red Deer Polytechnic — co-op students and grads

Take the next step

Reading is cheap; doing one small thing and talking it through with someone is what moves it forward. Come to a meetup and bring whatever you are stuck on. No pitch, no sign-up, no sales — peers over beers.