The Wild West of Small Businesses, Recruiting and Hiring
This article was written by Shannon Farris and published by Crossroads Professional Coaching
There is a common feeling among business owners right now, especially small businesses, and that is that the small business recruitment and hiring market is tough. I have had multiple conversations with people who own their own businesses, who work for small businesses and even people who work for larger companies and they have all shared the same frustrations with trying to not only hire but hire quality employees. Small businesses are facing challenges from many different directions, the shift of a workforce that wants a work-from-home / remote work lifestyle; large companies that can afford to throw large amounts of money at employees to stop them from leaving or offer wild benefits such as unlimited PTO. Some days it feels like the wild west out there.
A lot of these factors our out of our control. We cannot control what other companies do, the talent pool, or even the actions of candidates. However, there are things that you as the business owner can do to be proactive while you are navigating small business recruitment in this hiring market.
Small Business Recruitment and Hiring Tips
1. Be Proactive and Use Your Network
Utilize those 2nd and 3rd degree connections. Ask people that you know (and trust) if they have any recommendations for people that they know are on the job hunt. As a small business, you have a network of people that you can utilize, use them as a resource!
Ask your employees and staff if they know of people that would be a good fit for your open position as well as the company culture. Your staff will be working side by side with them, so there is a strong chance that they would not recommend someone that they wouldn’t want to work with, or think would do a bad job (hopefully!).
2. Keep a Good Pulse on Your Current Staff
Check in with them to see how they are doing. Do they feel overwhelmed if you are short-staffed? Think of ways to get creative and lift the burden off an employee temporarily who may be struggling to keep their head above water.
Show your employees and staff that you appreciate their hard work; this could be something as simple as buying them lunch one day to show your appreciation. Be sure to give them direct encouragement that their work and dedication is seen and appreciated.
3. Evaluate Your Onboarding Process
When you do get that new hire, do you have a proper plan in place to onboard and orient them to your company? Starting a new position can be nerve-wracking and intimidating on the employee side, so having a plan and structure as to what they will be doing will ease some of that anxiety for new hires. Do they have someone that they can shadow? Assign one of your key employees who you trust to train them and make them feel comfortable as they transition into a new role.
4. Pray
As Christians, we should come before the Lord with all our anxieties, concerns and stress. Yes, even bringing the hiring woes to Him and trusting that He will provide what we need. Pray that God will close doors that are intended to be closed, and open ones that are intended to be open. You can pray specifically for wisdom, discernment, and clarity before interviews and when making hiring decisions.
Ultimately, as small business owners, I would encourage you to keep persevering and trusting that The Lord cares about every aspect of your business, from the service you provide to the people who you hire!
While there are many factors in the small business recruitment and hiring world that you cannot control, these are a few things that you can work on and be proactive in so that when you find that next hire, you are ready to go with a plan. It may seem like the wild west out there, but we serve a God who cares for you, who cares for your business, and who will use these trials and frustrations to refine you and bring you closer to Him.