There’s no denying that the past few years have been rocky for UK entrepreneurs, whether that’s from the uncertainty over Brexit deals or the global pandemic completely altering the way every industry works. It’s never been more important to future-proof your business to ensure its longevity and, of course, to protect your own livelihood and finances. And while future-proofing a business varies between companies and industries, there are some essential hires that can work across the board to ensure sustainability.
SAP software consultant
If you’re still a small business owner, you may not actually know what SAP is. The biggest and most successful organisations all implement SAP, which is an enterprise resource planning (ERP) software that has the ability to control every key aspect of your business.
So if, for example, you want a single software solution that can track your raw materials to the production line to the shop floor and into the customer’s hands, or software that tracks every outgoing and incoming finance your business deals with, then SAP may be the solution for you.
However, the software is incredibly niche. As such, it may be worth your money employing a full-time SAP manager, especially if you’re a new business owner that needs to be frugal with expenses. And even if you do have the budget for a full-time SAP manager, it can be difficult to know where to start looking.
Fortunately, there are recruitment companies available to help you find the right person to add to your team, such as Eursap, who work with SAP professionals and match them with the right job, whether that’s in consultancy, development, project management, or database administration. So if you search for an SAP consultant, you could get the benefits of the software without the full-time salary that comes with it.
Human resource manager
Human resources (HR) are the hidden backbone of any organization, looking after employees and the company as a whole. It’s crucial that your HR team is flexible enough to deal with anything that may come its way. The HR team can also be responsible for the company culture, which has been touted as a business’s “single most powerful advantage”.
As highlighted in the Forbes article, companies with strong cultures have enjoyed an increase in revenue growth by 400% and, in general, strong and positive cultures mean that employees are generally happier and more willing to stay on in the team.
For HR managers to future proof their roles and industries, they need to look towards “strengthen[ing] their organisation’s ability to drive change in leader, culture, and employee experience”. This means ensuring that only the best and talented candidates are put forward for potential roles, fostering a unique and nurturing culture for all employees, and making sure that all employees are given the best opportunities the company can allow. With a talented team that is, above all, happy in its role, there should be no reason why your company can’t experience success – even when the rest of the world comes to a standstill.
Cybersecurity and technology
It’s been predicted that automation will put 37 million workers out of jobs by the year 2030, which begs the question: why should you then look at a career in technology? But the job of looking after these technologies will always exist. On top of this, it’s crucial for a business to be technologically secure from opportunistic hackers. As we become increasingly digital, entrepreneurs need to look at how secure their processes are from the get-go.
When it comes to hiring your cybersecurity team, look for candidates who will meld well with the rest of your employees and who will enjoy the company culture. If, for example, you hire solely on experience, you run the risk of team members not getting along with each other, which could lead to important things being missed.
There are a lot of ways to prevent you from hiring the wrong people, have a short list of hiring process and consider performing background checks. You may know more here to ensure the safety of your company.
As explained by TEKsystems, security works best “when it’s involved in all business decisions and infused in the organisation’s culture”. And when you consider the rise in remote working, this idea that company processes and data need to be protected becomes all the more important. If you allow employees to work remotely, you must be sure that your intellectual property (IP) won’t be compromised. Having a specialised team working on your cybersecurity can help ease any worries, keeping your business as protected as can be.