“I need someone to help with everything” is an understandable feeling. It is a difficult job description. A first employee needs to know what matters most, what a good result looks like and when to ask for help.
Writing the role down forces the owner to separate work that can be handed over from decisions that still need their attention.
Start with recurring work
For a week, note the tasks that interrupt the day. Group them by outcome rather than by tool: confirming orders, reconciling receipts or preparing dispatch is clearer than “using email and spreadsheets”.
Choose a manageable set of responsibilities. A role made from every unfinished task is likely to remain unclear even after a person joins.
Define the handover
Show where work arrives, what information should accompany it and where the completed result goes. Provide examples of acceptable output. Agree which exceptions need escalation and which decisions the colleague can make independently.
The business should also obtain appropriate professional guidance on the employment terms and obligations relevant to the role. Operational clarity is only one part of hiring responsibly.
Review the process as well as the person
In early check-ins, ask what information is missing and where the new colleague repeatedly has to wait. Those delays may reveal an unclear process rather than poor performance.
The best first handover gives the owner time back while giving the employee a fair chance to succeed. Both depend on making expectations visible before judging the outcome.
