What to Do Before You Hire: A Checklist for Architecture Practices
Don't hire until you've read this.
Why Hiring Too Soon Hurts More Than It Helps
Your phone keeps ringing. Projects are backing up. You're working weekends again.
"Time to hire someone."
Wait. Stop right there.
I've watched too many architecture practices make this exact mistake. They see the workload piling up and assume more staff equals less stress. Six months later, they deal with confused employees, budget issues, and more hours.
Here's the uncomfortable truth: hiring too early doesn't solve problems; it multiplies them.
The RIBA Practice Benchmarking Report 2023 tells a sobering story. More than half of small UK practices lose new hires within 18 months. Not because they picked the wrong people, but because they weren't ready for them in the first place.
Think about it. You wouldn't start construction without proper foundations. Why would you build your team in a different way?
The Hidden Cost of Poor Hiring Decisions
Let me paint you a picture of what premature hiring looks like in real life.
Sarah runs a 4-person practice in Manchester. After securing a major residential project, she felt anxious about capacity. Then, she brought on a project architect within two weeks. No job description. No systems in place. Just desperation.
Three months later:
The new hire was redoing work on multiple occasions.
Sarah spent more time explaining tasks than doing them herself.
Profit margins dropped from 18% to 8%.
The project architect left for a competitor.
Sound familiar?
This isn't about finding poor people. It's about good people walking into bad situations, and nobody wins when that happens.
Quick Self-Assessment: Are You Really Ready to Hire?
Before you jump into the full checklist, take a moment to consider these five questions. Be honest in your answers:
Can you explain why you need this hire in one clear sentence?
Have you documented your key processes so that someone else could follow them?
Do you have 6-12 months of confirmed work to justify the salary?
Are you prepared to delegate meaningful work (not just admin)?
Can you spend 2-3 hours per week developing a new team member?
If you answered "no" to any of these, you're not ready. But don't worry, that's what this guide is for.
The Architecture Practice Hiring Readiness Checklist
1. Get Crystal Clear on Why You're Hiring
"We're busy" isn't a reason to hire. It's an excuse.
Dig deeper. What exactly do you need?
Capacity hiring: You have the skills but not enough hands. Projects face bottlenecks. Your team feels overwhelmed by too much work.
Capability hiring: You're turning down projects because you lack specific skills. Maybe you need someone with heritage building experience or sustainable design expertise.
Leadership hiring: You're the bottleneck. You handle every decision, but this distracts you from what truly matters: growing the practice.
Here's my test: Can you write down your business case in one clear sentence? If not, you're not ready.
2. Audit Your Current Workload (Honestly)
Most practices hire when they're drowning, but often the water level isn't the problem; it's the holes in the boat.
I once worked with a practice owner who was certain he needed two new staff members. After spending a week tracking his time, we discovered he was redoing 40% of his team's work due to insufficient training provided to them.
The wake-up call? He wasn't understaffed; he was under-organised.
Ask yourself these hard questions:
Could proper SOPs free up 10+ hours per week?
Are you micromanaging instead of delegating?
Are clients waiting for you, or are they waiting for standardised documents?
How much time do you spend on admin tasks that you could systematise?
Reality check: If you’re always handling emergencies, adding someone else will only complicate things. It won’t solve any problems.
Fix the inefficiencies first. Then see if you still need to hire.
3. Run the Numbers (Without Rose-Tinted Spectacles)
Hiring feels expensive because it is expensive. A new architectural assistant in London earns an annual salary of approximately £35,000 to £45,000. This includes National Insurance, pension contributions, and overhead costs. But not hiring can be even more costly if you're turning down good work.
Here's your financial reality check:
Pipeline analysis: Look 6-12 months ahead, not just at today's workload. That big residential scheme might complete next quarter, leaving you overstaffed.
Profit margin check: Can your current margins absorb another salary? If you're already running thin, hiring might push you into the red.
Revenue per hire calculation: A sustainable hire should bring in at least 2.5 times their salary in extra capacity or revenue. For a £40,000 salary, you need £100,000+ in additional project value.
I've seen practices hire during a busy spell only to face redundancies six months later when projects dried up. Don't let optimism override mathematics.
4. Define the Role Like Your Business Depends on It
Because it does.
Vague job descriptions create disappointed employees and frustrated directors.
"Bit of everything" isn't a role, it's a recipe for confusion.
Your role definition needs:
Specific responsibilities: Not "help with projects" but "prepare planning applications and coordinate with structural engineers."
Clear reporting structure: Who do they answer to? Who reviews their work? Who signs off their drawings?
Success metrics: What does good performance look like after 3, 6, and 12 months?
Growth pathway: Where could this role lead in 2-3 years? People want to know they're not hitting a career dead end.
Realistic expectations: Be honest about evening work, site visits, or client contact requirements.
If you cannot define what success looks like, how will you know if the hire is working?
5. Create Your Delegation Roadmap
Okay, you've defined the role. Now comes the hard part: actually letting them do it.
Here's where most practice owners trip up. They hire someone but can't let go of the work.
I get it. You've built this practice from nothing. Every detail matters. But if you don't delegate, you're paying someone to observe your overtime work.
Start with this exercise; it takes about 30 minutes but could save you months of frustration:
Make two lists:
Tasks only you can do: Client relationships, strategic design decisions, business development, planning meetings with councils.
Tasks any competent team member should handle: Technical drawings, specification writing, site coordination, research, planning application preparation.
Share your unfiltered thoughts on list #1. If "checking every email" or "approving every drawing revision" is on there, you're not ready to scale.
Build a handover system:
Clear briefing templates (what, when, why, resources needed)
Resource libraries (standard details, specification clauses, contact lists)
Decision-making authority levels (what they can decide vs. what needs approval)
Delegation isn't just operational; it's cultural. Get this wrong, and growth stops.
6. Build Your Systems Before You Need Them
Nothing kills productivity faster than a new hire asking, "How do we usually do this?" and getting a different answer from every team member.
Your practice needs documented systems for:
Client processes: How do you onboard new clients? What's your typical RIBA stage workflow? Where are the templates stored?
Communication standards: Email templates, meeting note formats, drawing standards, CAD layer protocols.
Quality control: Review processes, approval chains, file naming conventions, version control.
Administrative tasks: Timesheets, fee tracking, expense claims, supplier management.
Realistic timeframe: Don't panic, you don't need everything perfect. Start with your three most common processes and build from there. Budget 2-3 weeks to document the essentials.
Think of systems as your practice's operating manual. Without them, every new hire needs individual training on everything. With them, people can contribute from day one.
7. Plan the First 90 Days
Great people leave as soon as they feel lost or undervalued. Poor onboarding is costly. Replacing a new hire usually costs about 50% of their annual salary. This includes recruitment costs and lost productivity.
Your onboarding process should answer these questions before anyone asks them:
Week 1: Who are we? What do we stand for? How do things work here? Where's the tea kitchen?
Month 1: What's my role? Who can I ask for help? What are the priority projects? Which clients am I likely to meet?
Month 3: Am I meeting expectations? What should I focus on next? How do I grow here?
Create a simple welcome pack:
Practice overview and values.
Current project directory with key details.
Staff contact list with roles and expertise.
Office procedures (IT, security, expenses)
30-60-90-day goals and milestones
Pro tip: Assign a buddy (not their manager) for casual questions and tips on office culture.
The first impression lasts. Make it count.
8. Check Yourself: Are You Leadership Ready?
This one's uncomfortable but essential.
Hiring someone means you're becoming a manager, not just a designer. Are you prepared for that shift?
Can you provide regular feedback? Not only when things go wrong, but also ongoing development conversations. Budget 30 minutes weekly for each team member.
Are you ready to let go of control? Micromanaging kills morale and wastes everyone's time, including yours.
Do you have a vision for your practice culture? People don't just want jobs; they want to belong somewhere meaningful.
Can you handle difficult conversations? Performance issues, salary discussions, career development, and management aren't always comfortable.
I've worked with brilliant architects who were terrible managers. If you're not ready to lead people, you're not ready to hire them.
A Real-World Example: How One Practice Got It Right (The Second Time)
James runs a conservation practice in Bath. After winning a major cathedral restoration project, he immediately hired a conservation specialist. No systems, no clear role definition, just panic hiring.
Six months later:
The specialist left, frustrated by constant directional changes.
James was working longer hours than before.
The project was behind schedule.
Profit margins had dropped by 15%.
James could've sworn off hiring forever. Instead, he took a step back.
He spent three months:
Documenting his conservation processes and methodology.
Creating clear role definitions with success metrics.
Building project templates and standard details.
Setting up proper delegation frameworks.
Establishing weekly review meetings.
When he hired a newly qualified architect with a passion for heritage, everything changed.
The new hire was productive from week two.
James reduced his working hours by 20%.
Project delivery showed a marked improvement.
Profit margins increased by 12% within a year.
The hire stayed for three years and became an associate.
The difference wasn't the person; it was the preparation.
When NOT to Hire
Sometimes the honest answer is "not yet." Here are the red flags:
Cash flow is tight: If you're stretching to make payroll, don't stretch further. One late payment could put you in serious trouble.
You can't delegate: If every decision needs your thumbs-up, you will end up with a costly assistant who feels frustrated.
No clear 12-month plan: Hiring based on this month's workload is a recipe for overstaffing when things quiet down.
Systems are chaotic: If you can't explain your processes to a new hire, they cannot follow them.
You're avoiding hard conversations: Hiring new employees won't fix current performance issues; it will just make management harder.
Client relationships are unstable: If your biggest client is wobbly, wait until you're on solid ground.
The Right Time to Pull the Trigger
You'll know you are ready when:
You have 6-12 months of confirmed work that justifies the salary.
Key processes get documented, even if they are not perfect.
The role definition is clear, with success metrics.
Your finances can support the hire, along with a 20% contingency.
You're enthusiastic about leading and developing someone.
Talk about how this hire will improve client service, not just how it will lessen your workload.
Your Next Step
Before you post that job advert, take one week. One week to work through this checklist in detail.
Document one key process. Define success metrics for the role. Run the financial numbers with complete honesty. Create that delegation plan you have been avoiding.
Use this checklist before your next hire:
Clarify your "why" in one sentence.
Audit current workload for inefficiencies.
Verify financial sustainability over 12 months.
Define the role with specific success metrics.
Create your delegation plan with clear handover systems.
Document key systems and processes (start with three essentials).
Design the first 90-day experience with proper onboarding.
Assess your readiness to lead and develop people.
Get this foundation right, and you’ll not only hire the right person. You’ll create a space where talent shines, clients get great service, and your profits grow.
The alternative? A costly hiring mistake can hold up your practice for months and raise your stress.
Your future self and your new hire will recognise the value of your careful attention to this task.
The choice is yours.
Ready to make your next hire with confidence? This checklist covers the essentials, but every practice is different. Adapt it to your situation. Track the growth of your team and business in a sustainable way.
