Did you know small businesses employ about 50 percent of the U.S. workforce?
As a small business owner, you might have started as a one-person band, but it’s only a matter of time before you start building a team to help you out. After all, the average small business has 10 employees.
However, hiring new employees isn’t something that’s in the wheelhouse of most small business owners. It takes expertise to find the right workers for your business.
How should you approach recruitment? Read on for some expert staffing tips and advice.
Know Your Staffing Needs
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Every business owner dreams of having a big team. This, though, doesn’t mean you should rush into hiring employees even when your business doesn’t need them.
Having a clear picture of your staffing needs is key to running a successful business. You’ll be in a better position to avoid understaffing or overstaffing.
Determining your staffing needs requires you to identify the number and types of employees your organization needs to operate optimally. Assess your existing staffing resources and establish the gaps that need to be filled.
With this information, you can step into the labor market confidently.
Understand the Costs of Hiring New Employees
Bringing in new employees comes with direct and indirect costs. Salaries are the obvious direct cost, but there is also money spent on job advertising and new employee onboarding and training.
What you might fail to factor in is the indirect costs, such as an increase in your workers’ compensation insurance premiums and office supplies.
Different types of workers also have different cost implications. For example, an in-house full-time employee will cost you a lot more than a part-time remote worker. You also have the option of hiring freelancers, which is the most cost-effective option, but they won’t be your employees.
The costs associated with hiring can be significant, so it’s prudent to know how hiring new workers will affect your business overheads.
Know Where to Find Talent
As of the first quarter of 2022, there’s a labor shortage, especially in the hospitality and food service industries. Knowing where to find the employees you’re looking for will not only reduce the time it takes you to recruit, but also improve your chances of finding the best talent.
Gone are the days when hanging a “We’re Hiring” sign on your business door or window would yield results. These days, people are looking for jobs online, which means you need to be there too.
You can post job ads on your business website, but if it isn’t getting targeted traffic, you may not get any applicants. Industry job boards give you the best chance. Career-focused social sites such as LinkedIn are also a good place to hunt.
If you’re looking for freelancers, there are many freelancer platforms you can utilize. If you want to hire a telemarketer, for instance, just go online and start searching.
Hire New Employees Diligently
Almost every business needs new employees from time to time. As a small business, you might not have an HR department responsible for recruitment, but you can still get the job done. Use this hiring advice to your advantage.
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