As the economy grows, more small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are thriving. In fact, the U.S. Small Business Administration reported that the U.S. has nearly 30 million small businesses, and they employ 47.8% of U.S. workers.
Even so, SMBs struggle when it comes to recruiting talent. Whether it’s due to competition with larger organizations or because they simply don’t have talent management experience. According to a Salesforce report, 54% of SMB leaders are concerned about finding their next great hire.
That’s why we’ve rounded up 5 popular ways for smaller businesses to attract top talent.
1. Offer Opportunities for Growth
Two-thirds (66%) of SMB leaders manage three or more key areas within their businesses. Small business employees can expect to hold various roles too, often spanning multiple departments.
Because small business employees often take on so many different responsibilities, they are able to get exposure to many different job types, gain experience in new roles, and earn promotions at a faster rate. This can be an appealing prospect to younger employees looking to move up the career ladder quickly, so be sure to advertise that you offer these opportunities for growth.
2. Allow for Flexible Work Schedules
For many employees, strict 8-5 schedules in physical offices are not convenient. Some professionals are also caregivers or simply don’t work well in the morning—regardless of the reasons, flexible work schedules and locations work better for many people, empowering them to focus on completing work instead of getting to work. In fact, 60% of flexible workers are more productive.
By allowing employees to work on schedules they prefer and at locations they prefer, you’ll appeal to a wider audience of professionals who may be hard workers but have special situational needs.
3. Supply Unique Perks
Some offices offer ping-pong tables and endless supplies of craft beer, but if your small business wants to stand apart, offer perks that truly benefit your employees’ well-being. First of all, you can stand apart by offering excellent health benefits and things like paid maternal and paternal leave. For additional perks, offer work-from-home days, gym memberships, and healthy office snacks.
By supplying both basic and additional perks, you’ll attract the best and brightest talent on the job market.
4. Revitalize Your Employer Branding
Branding is key to attracting consumers to your small business, so why wouldn’t you use branding to attract professionals to your workplace? By crafting an employer branding strategy, your business can attract more applicants. Your job-related content, like your careers page, should include:
- An explanation of your company culture
- A strong employee value proposition
- Clear job descriptions
- Links to branded social media accounts (that feature your employees!)
Provide Competitive Compensation
Frankly, the amount you propose to pay your employees makes a difference. Professionals have certain priorities when it comes to their jobs, and income is one of the top three for both women and men.
To ensure the salary you offer is substantial enough to attract applicants, you need to hit 75% of what the market is paying or make up for it with a strong benefits package.
Overview
Even if you employ each of these 5 strategies, it might be difficult to find the right talent without the resources in place to nurture candidates throughout the hiring process. That’s where outside help comes in. The best Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) firms offer on-demand talent acquisition services and have the tools needed to help SMBs reach their hiring goals.
Ready to attract top talent with the help of an RPO firm? Let’s chat.