We see and hear how small businesses are struggling to find good employees. Not every company is experiencing these same issues. What are some of the best practices that small businesses can implement that will help them overcome the struggles of attracting good employees?
1. Be Clear about your Core Values
Take the time to create a focused message about what your company values most. If you are unsure as to where to start ask your strongest employees what they love most about working there and why do they stay. Take a moment to listen to how Steve Jobs stated Apple’s core values. Write out a clear message about your values and make sure the entire company can be clear on what you believe in. Once you have clarity and can state it in an authentic way, you’ll find your chances of attracting the right people will improve.
As a serendipity, you will also create more alignment and buy-in from your present team.
2. Show your Authentic Business Identity
Future applicants will want information beyond the job description to determine
if your business is a fit for them. Job searchers will look everywhere for insights about your company. One of the easiest ways for a small business to attract the right people is to create a video for your website. Utilize happy existing employees describing the culture, and what they enjoy about working there. Give the viewers a feeling for the type of people they would work with.
Be sincerely interested in an applicant as a person. Who are they away from work? Share who you are as well.
3. Offer Opportunity for Advancement
Be clear with the people you interview that you train your employees and are committed to career development for all your team.
You give preference to promoting great talent from within your organization. Younger workers especially want a clear path to opportunities to grow. Consider an internship program to try out future hires.
4. Learn the Concerns of Your Ideal Candidates
The pandemic has changed the way people choose to work. It’s not unusual for employers to offer hybrid work situations with a combination of office and homework time. With each new employee meet them where they are and offer flexibility and freedom where needed. Learn how to match each position and candidate to the right arrangement.
5. Develop a Process for Selection
In order to keep yourself in tune with good candidates, have exploratory interviews rather than job interviews. Make it clear that you’re not filling a position at the moment but are interested in a “conversation” and you’re interested in finding out more about them.
Stay relaxed in the meeting and your interviewee will relax as well showing their true selves.
Document your hiring process so it can be repeatable. Develop your interview questions and find the right ones to give you insights into the person you hire. Avoid “winging-it” in the interview process. Get input from others about a candidate. That helps both you and the prospective employee make sure it’s a good fit.
6. Consider Asking Your Best People to be Recruiters for Your Company
Give them some guidelines about who you want them to bring to the workplace. Things like they personally know them to have a strong character and willingness to work as part of your and their core values. Folks that they want to work with and will be proud to be known as the person that Jane brought to us. Set up a financial reward for them if the candidates pass the process of selection and remain for at least “X” months.
Give them 10% of the reward when the candidate starts to work and the rest at the conclusion of the “X” months.
If you implement most of these best practices, you’ll find you’ll be attracting the kind of folks as employees that will be a great asset to your small business.
Other Posts of Interest:
Building an Effective Team