WASHINGTON — Making mid-course corrections in the middle of the year is much easier than looking back on Dec. 31 and realizing that your business has been going in the wrong direction.
This was the focus of “Small Business Mid-Year Checkup — Trends and Tips for 2024,” an online discussion held by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), and hosted by Beth Milito, executive director of NFIB’s Small Business Legal Center, and Holly Wade, the executive director of the NFIB Research Center
In Part 1 of this series, we looked at what makes for effective marketing efforts in 2024. In Part 2, we continued our mid-year check by examining how dry cleaners can boost their online presence and deal with negative reviews. Today, we’ll conclude by examining some methods dry cleaners can use to find new employees in a challenging labor market.
Finding Workers in Trying Times
“We know that there's a tight labor market out there,” Wade says, “and many of you are dealing with the turnover of your current employees and having frustration trying to retain employees while also attracting those applicants for open positions.”
So, what are some possible solutions?
“There are so many job boards now, some are more tailored to different industries than others, but look at job boards to see how other businesses are trying to attract applicants in your industry of small businesses,” Wade says. Examples include LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor, ZipRecruiter, Wellfound, and others. “You can look to see how they're advertising these positions and how you might better advertise positions in your own business and create a more unique posting that would get more attention.”
Social media platforms are also places where owners might find people looking for work, or those who know of someone on the hunt for a job.
“These platforms can be a good way of highlighting open positions that you might have,” Wade says. “If you have a big following, you’ll have not only those who are searching for a job, but your customers, as well. They might know somebody who's looking for a job, and they can reach out to them and say, ‘Hey, you know, on Instagram, this business that I really like to go to is looking for a position, you're looking for a job, I think this would be a good match.’”
Wade adds you can see how other companies are advertising for people to fill openings as well, so owners can better create unique postings to get more attention.
“Also — and obviously, this is not something new for most small-business owners — but using your network and just reaching out to neighbors and friends can be helpful,” Wade says, “because you never know who they know who is looking for a job. They might have someone who would be a terrific fit for your business. And it doesn't cost any money, which is always a plus.”
Another benefit of cultivating a good work culture is that existing employees will be a good source of potential applicants.
“If you have a supportive environment for your current employees,” Wade says, “they will feel good about making referrals of other candidates who they think they might be a good fit for working at your business.” She adds that having a standard referral bonus for employees who stay a certain length of time can also encourage good referrals from current team members.
“Using your existing employees for outreach is easy and doesn't cost any money, outside of the bonuses,” Wade says.
The Hiring Process
During the interview process, Wade says, each side should be selling itself — employers on the job, and potential employees on how or if they would fit in.
“First, remember that you're selling an opportunity for applicants to work for your business,” she says. “But, then, you are also preparing for performance expectations. You’re spelling out the specific structure to the position that makes sense to you, to the organization and to the applicant.”
Employers should also thoroughly review each applicant’s resume, Wade says. “Note any possible common acquaintances that you can highlight during an interview, or talk to the applicant about any common areas of interest you might have. Also, take note of experience that they might have that doesn't necessarily fit specifically in a job description, but might be very helpful in other ways in your business.”
Noticing what the potential employee brings to the table can also head off problems before they come to pass.
“Did they do their homework by looking up your business online?” Wade asks. “Do they understand what you're doing? Do they understand your product or service? Are they asking questions? With small businesses and small teams, one person who doesn't quite fit can be very disruptive for everybody.”
Welcome Aboard
Once the employee is in place, the next challenge to employers is to keep them there.
“To improve employee retention, have an onboarding process that is thought out,” Wade says, “so that when you hire somebody, they come into your business and, from the minute they walk in, they feel that there is a purpose for them to be there. And it's a welcoming environment, so that they're not struggling to figure out who's who, what should they be doing, or what their purpose is.”
This type of preparation is a benefit for everyone involved, Wade says. “This will help the new employee, but also help your existing employees better understand how they're being integrated into the business, and it sets a tone for their experience going forward.”
Once they are in place, feedback and open communication are keys to employee retention, Wade says.
“This is an area of making sure there are lines of communication between managers, owners and staff, and making sure that people are heard that their input is found important,” she says. “This means implementing feedback when appropriate, or explaining why their idea might not be a way to go forward, but having those levels of communication is often helpful and in building morale for the retention purposes.”
For Part 1, click HERE. For Part 2, click HERE.
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Dave Davis at [email protected].
