How to Hire Employees: Step-by-Step Guide

By Mohammad Barzegar, Director, TQN Personnel · Reviewed by Mohammad Sakhvidi · Updated October 2026 · 12 min read

How to hire employees in Australia comes down to six steps: plan the role, write the job description, source and screen candidates, check them lawfully, issue a written offer, then onboard and pay them correctly. This guide is for employers and hiring managers, and it covers sourcing, timing, checks, pay minimums, super and the records you must keep.

What is how to hire employees?

How to hire employees is the process of turning a business need into a signed, lawful employment relationship. It runs from workforce planning through to the first pay run and the first review.

A clear process saves time and reduces risk, because most hiring errors come from rushed pay, classification or paperwork decisions rather than from the interview itself.

Term	Meaning	Why it matters
Job description	A written summary of the duties, reporting line, licences and requirements of the role.	It sets the award classification and keeps your questions tied to the inherent requirements.
Recruitment process checklist	A step-by-step list covering sourcing, screening, checks, offer and onboarding.	It stops steps being skipped when you hire under time pressure.
Talent sourcer	A person or agency who finds candidates who are not actively applying, using networks, databases and outreach.	It widens your pool when job ads alone do not bring the skills you need.
Time to hire	The number of days from approving a vacancy to the candidate accepting an offer.	A long gap costs you overtime, lost work or a candidate who accepts another job.
Probation period	An agreed early period in which both sides test the fit of the role.	It does not remove NES or award entitlements or unfair dismissal rights.
Inherent requirements	The essential tasks a person must be able to do to perform the role.	They are the lawful basis for interview questions and health or fitness checks.

How to hire employees by type of engagement

The rules differ by employment type, so decide on the engagement before you advertise. Never pick casual or contractor status to save money.

Situation	What applies
Full-time employee	38 ordinary hours a week plus reasonable additional hours, with 4 weeks of paid annual leave and 10 days of paid personal leave each year.
Part-time employee	Same hourly rate as a full-timer in the role, with leave pro rata. The NES sets no minimum weekly hours, so check the award or agreement.
Casual employee	At least $33.05 per hour on the national minimum, including the 25% loading. New casuals must receive the Casual Employment Information Statement.
Casual conversion	A casual can notify you they want to convert after 6 months, or 12 months with a small business employer.
Labour hire worker	Employed by the provider, which pays wages and super. You direct the work and share work health and safety duties.
Independent contractor	Not an employee, but an ABN does not decide the question. Use the Fair Work Ombudsman and ATO tools to test the real relationship.

Most private-sector employers are in the national system. NSW state public sector employees, and some local government employees, are covered by the NSW state system.

Pay and costs when you hire employees

Know your minimum cost before you advertise. These figures apply from the dates shown and change each 1 July.

Item	Figure	Applies from
National minimum wage, hourly	$26.44	First full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026
National minimum wage, 38-hour week	$1,004.90	First full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026
Casual minimum, hourly (includes 25% loading)	$33.05	First full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026
Modern award minimum rates	Up 4.75%	First full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026
Super guarantee	12% of ordinary time earnings	2026-27
NSW payroll tax rate	5.45% of NSW taxable wages above $1,200,000 a year	2026-27
National Police Check, name and date of birth	$58.60	2026-27
National Police Check with fingerprints	$221.70	2026-27

Award wage rates are not listed here. Find them in the free Fair Work Ombudsman pay guide, or call the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94.

How to hire employees step by step

A good process looks the same whether you hire one labourer or ten. This recruitment process checklist follows the order most employers use.

1. Confirm the need and budget, decide the engagement type, and identify the award and classification using the Fair Work Ombudsman pay guide.
2. Write the job description with duties, licences such as a white card, hours, location and the inherent requirements of the role.
3. Advertise and source candidates through job boards, referrals, past applicants and a talent sourcer, then screen for right to work and relevant experience.
4. Interview with the same lawful, job-related questions for every candidate, score the answers and keep notes tied to the job description.
5. Run reference checks and, where needed, police checks with the candidate's written consent, then assess any record for relevance to the role.
6. Issue a written offer with the award, classification, pay rate, super and start date, then collect tax, super and bank details before the first shift.

Worked example	What happens
Casual labourer, no award	The base rate of $26.44 plus the 25% loading gives the $33.05 hourly minimum, paid for every hour worked.
Super on the wage	Add 12% of ordinary time earnings on top of the wage, and pay it so it reaches the fund within 7 business days of payday.
Police check cost	A name and date of birth check costs $58.60, while a check with fingerprints costs $221.70.

Find employee candidates and manage time to hire

Time to hire is usually lost between stages, not inside them. A Monday-morning shortlist review can save a week of back-and-forth.

• Set a target time to hire for each role (indicative — track your own average over the last few vacancies and aim to beat it).
• Ask current staff for referrals and keep a list of past applicants who were close, since they can often start sooner than new candidates.
• Use a talent sourcer or agency for hard-to-fill roles such as plant operators, and ask for written terms before they start searching.
• Book interview slots in advance with the hiring manager, so candidates are not waiting while diaries are matched.
• Tell unsuccessful candidates promptly and respectfully, because the same people often apply again or refer others.
• Keep an eye on offers, since a strong candidate may accept another job if your decision takes too long.

Employer checklist when you hire employees

Use this list before the first shift. It covers the records and registrations that are easy to miss.

• Confirm right to work and keep a copy of the evidence you checked on the day the person starts.
• Give a written offer or contract that matches the award, and have an employment lawyer review any individual contract you draft.
• Take out a workers compensation policy with icare where required, since employers paying more than $7,500 a year in wages generally need one.
• Set up payroll and Single Touch Payroll, then report to the ATO on or before each payday.
• Issue payslips within 1 working day of payday and keep time and wage records for 7 years.
• Provide the Casual Employment Information Statement to new casuals, and the Fair Work Information Statement to every new employee.
• Run a site induction before work starts, because employers must manage safety risks under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW).
• Diarise payroll tax registration with Revenue NSW once your NSW wages approach the $1,200,000 threshold.

Plan and write the role: job descriptions and workforce planning

Good hiring starts before the advert. Plan what the business needs, then write down what the role does.

• Map demand across the next 12 months of work, including seasonal peaks, leave cover and projects, so you hire the right type of worker.
• Write duties as tasks you can observe and measure, and list the licences, tickets and physical requirements that are genuinely essential.
• Match the role to an award classification before you set pay, so the offer is never below the minimum for the work.

Use our job description template and read about workforce planning to size your team.

Screen to hire employees: interview questions and reference checks

Consistent, job-related questions are fairer and easier to defend. Never ask about age, family plans, religion, race, sexuality, marital status or union membership.

• Ask every candidate the same core questions linked to the duties, and score each answer against the same criteria on the day.
• Ask about disability only where it relates to the inherent requirements of the job, and offer reasonable adjustments.
• Contact referees with the candidate's permission and ask about reliability, skills and conduct that relate to the role.

See our guide to interview questions and our guide to reference checks for lawful examples.

Check before you hire employees: police checks and white cards

Checks prove what a candidate tells you. Use them only where the role needs them.

• Get written consent for a police check, then assess any record for relevance to the duties rather than rejecting automatically.
• Apply through the NSW Police Force Community Portal, where most digital certificates are ready within an hour, and use a Working with Children Check for child-related work.
• Ask construction workers to show a white card on the first day, since the training completion statement is valid for 60 days and a duplicate card costs $43.

Read about the police check in NSW and the white card in NSW before you set start dates.

Contract and probation when you hire employees

Put the terms in writing and make sure the agreement sits on top of the NES and the award, never below them.

• List the award, classification, hours, pay rate, super, notice and duties in the offer, and have a lawyer review any custom contract.
• Agree any probation period in writing and treat it as a review point, not a loophole around unfair dismissal rights.
• Remember that the minimum employment period for an unfair dismissal claim is 6 months, or 12 months for a small business employer.

Use our employment contract template as a starting point and read about the probation period rules.

Onboarding and retention after you hire employees

Retention starts on the first day. A new starter without a login, roster or supervisor often decides within a week whether to stay.

• Send the roster, site address, start time and what to bring before the first shift, including any white card or licences.
• Pair each new starter with a named supervisor and sign off an induction record covering safety, reporting lines and payslips.
• Track early exits, because replacing staff costs recruitment time, training and lost productivity that can exceed the saving from a rushed hire.

Our employee onboarding checklist covers the first week, and our guide to the cost of employee turnover shows how to count it.

Common mistakes to avoid when you hire employees

• Setting pay from the national minimum when an award applies, which can leave the new starter below their lawful minimum.
• Calling someone a contractor or casual to save cost, when the real working relationship says they are an employee.
• Asking interview questions about family plans, age or religion, which are unrelated to the inherent requirements of the job.
• Running a police check without the candidate's written consent, or rejecting a candidate automatically without assessing relevance.
• Letting someone start before the contract, tax file declaration, super details and site induction are done.
• Forgetting to update payroll for the rates that change on 1 July, then finding months later that the new starter was underpaid.

How to hire employees FAQ

How do you hire employees in Australia?

Plan the role, write a job description, advertise, screen and interview, check references and licences, then issue a written offer. Set pay from the award or national minimum, and register payroll, super and workers compensation before the first shift.

How long does it take to hire an employee?

It varies by role, industry and how quickly you decide. Track your own time to hire from approval to accepted offer, then remove delays between stages (indicative — set targets by role type).

Do I need a contract to hire an employee?

You should give a written offer or contract that matches the award and the NES. It is good practice for every role. Ask an employment lawyer to review any individual contract, because it cannot remove award or NES entitlements.

Can I ask a candidate for a police check?

Yes, where the role justifies it, and you need the candidate's written consent. A name and date of birth check costs $58.60 and a fingerprint check costs $221.70 for 2026-27. Assess any record for relevance to the role.

What is the minimum wage for a new employee?

From the first full pay period on or after 1 July 2026, the national minimum is $26.44 per hour, or $33.05 for casuals. Award rates are usually higher, so check the Fair Work Ombudsman pay guide first.

Do I pay super to new employees?

Yes. The super guarantee is 12% of ordinary time earnings for 2026-27. Under payday super, it must be paid with wages and reach the employee's fund within 7 business days of payday.

Next step: hire employees with the right paperwork

Confirm the award, build the offer, run lawful checks and set up payroll before the start date. At TQN Personnel, we supply screened, inducted labour hire workers across Sydney, and you can talk to our team when you need cover fast. This is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice, so check the Fair Work Ombudsman, the ATO or an employment lawyer for your situation.

Related guides

• Police check NSW
• Interview questions
• White card NSW
• Probation period
• Employment contract template
• Workforce planning
• Employee onboarding checklist
• Job description template
• Reference checks
• Cost of employee turnover