Since the digital revolution, it’s become a lot easier for people to try and run their own business. Digital skills are in high demand, and with so many tools available it doesn’t take long for someone to have a fully working website and social media accounts to try and build a client base.
But getting started can be tough if you want to go completely self-employed. Unless you’ve been able to build up a significant amount of savings before you take the plunge, you’re likely going to find the first few months or even couple of years tricky.
Which is why, unfortunately, many people in full-time employment may try to gain little advantages that aren’t fair on the business that employs them.
The biggest and most significant of these would be stealing clients. Often, someone looking to go self-employed will have insider information from their current employment that allows them to contact clients and offer them a better deal, since they know the terms they’re already agreed on.
Then there’s company tools. Going self-employed in certain industries may require expensive equipment – so why not borrow that of your existing company to get a head start right? Except that they’re again using another business’ property to advance their own goals.
Finally, there’s time. Employees looking to start their own business will often take extended sick leave or other periods of absence because starting a self-employed business just in the evenings or weekends can be tough. Yet again, this is unfair – a business may be subsidising an employee looking to leave.
So, what can you, as a business, do to stop an employee taking advantage by using your time, money, clients or equipment to get started on a competitor business? Hire a private investigator. It’s the only way you’ll know for sure what they’re up to, and by using a reliable investigator you’ll get sufficient evidence to be able to legally take action, whether that’s simply dismissal or something more.
Find out more about how EJM Investigations can help with suspected cases of employees using company resources for self-employment by calling us on 01772 334700.