Creative Ways to Overcome Staffing Challenges

The perpetually changing economy can make staffing your business more stressful than you would imagine. The ongoing pandemic has brought its own problems, while inflation and rising interest rates are now making it difficult to stretch your company’s money as far as you once could. Even if you can find qualified candidates for open positions, you may think you do not have the funds or benefits to lure them to you over your competitor. Employee retention has also become more difficult recently as younger generations have less of a problem leaving a company to find more lucrative or fulfilling work than baby boomers.

Today, creativity and patience are both needed to overcome staffing challenges. Your company must adapt to today’s markets and customer needs while focusing on high-quality work. And, if you’re going to adjust a business marketing plan to meet the changing business environment, consider these six creative options for reducing or eliminating some of the most common staffing challenges for small businesses.

1. Discover Personalities That Mesh Best With Your Team

The first step of your hiring process should always be determining the type of individual that would thrive in your business’s environment. Some small businesses are fun and carefree spots. Others are focused on quiet, individual work. Still, others may prioritize motivation for sales, critical thinking skills, attention to detail, friendly customer service, or teamwork. Thinking about the current culture in your workplace and the future you wish to create will help you determine the best personality for the job. While looking at a list of educational and professional qualifications is certainly helpful at some point in the hiring process, starting with a personality assessment or asking current employees for their thoughts on the best fit for your team can ensure later success and decrease employee turnover rate.

2. Invest in Thorough Training

It can be easy to want to skip over thorough training for new employees. However, failing to invest in their job knowledge and experience now can lead to frustration, wasted money, and turnover later. While it is true that training periods are investments in your company’s resources, you will find that the employees you train thoroughly will feel confident and satisfied in their jobs.

3. Promote From Within

A hiring tactic that is not exactly new to the business but has yet to be as widely discussed as others is quiet hiring. With this method, a business seeks to promote current employees who are already proving that they go above and beyond in their jobs into more desirable roles. By utilizing this method, you will save plenty of money on hiring and training for more difficult positions and can instead focus on filling entry-level positions requiring less time and money.

4. Give Employees Flexibility

Flexible work is becoming more important today than ever before. Many potential candidates are searching for options for when, where, and how much they work. For example, you may find that you receive more interest in a job opening if you list it as two part-time positions than you would by listing it as a single full-time position. Other options that interest today’s candidates include freelance work, flexible hours, personalized benefits, and the option of working from home at least some of the time.

5. Consider Staff Recruiting Firms

As a small business, you may need a human resources department or the time to invest in searching for the best candidates yourself. This is where staffing agencies can help. A staffing company will have a vast pool of potential candidates you would be unable to locate independently. While these companies are frequently associated with temporary staffing needs, many temporary jobs can turn into long-term roles if you find that the worker has the right skills and personality to fit in well with your existing team.

6. Use Different Recruiting Strategies

One final solution for overcoming staffing challenges is thinking outside the box when recruiting the right candidates. From using social media and other online tools to pinpoint the best talent to utilizing remote recruiting methods, such as telephone or video interviews, you will find that technology will help you interact with younger candidates who are comfortable with these tools. On the other hand, you can also turn to more traditional sources to find individuals who may feel as if they have been squeezed out of the job market. Suppose your business is near a local community college or university. In that case, you may find plenty of budding talent that will cost you less than experienced talent.

Additionally, you may find that part-time student workers grow with your business and eventually become indispensable full-time employees. Another option would be a senior center or veterans association in your area. Older individuals may still be interested in working but need help to enter a larger business arena. Having several generations working in your small business can increase the level of experience and skills available to your team.

Whether you are new to the small business community or have been serving your niche for years, these six creative solutions for overcoming staffing challenges can help you grow your team, improve current employee retention and find the best candidates for open positions. The business world is constantly changing, and it is up to you to change along with it if you wish to remain relevant as a small business. Finding and hiring the right people who are excited about your brand and motivated to learn and grow in experience will, in turn, help your small business grow over the upcoming years. To get more tips for increasing the success of your business, ways to improve time management, stretching your business’s budget, or improving your online presence, turn to E-Marketing Associates for advice and digital help that you can trust.