How Can Small Businesses Effectively Recruit Talent in 2019?
According to a recent report, three-quarters of today’s job-seekers are searching for work voluntarily, and almost one-third are looking because they want better pay or benefits.
With a humming job economy, competition for talent is high. Small businesses may feel at a disadvantage when recruiting new employees, but there are several ways they can compete for qualified candidates:
- Offer comprehensive benefits
- Utilize professional HR resources
- Consult with recruiting and staffing service firms
In this article, we explore how small businesses can recruit top-tier candidates. Use this information to give your company an edge when recruiting talent.
Offer Comprehensive Benefits
Nearly half (47%) of small businesses offer benefits packages, which puts them at a slight disadvantage against companies that can offer their employees additional salary and health care remain a top priority for job-seekers.
“You’re not going to be able to recruit and retain people if [you don’t offer basic benefits]”, said Matthew Burr, the founder, and president of Burr Consulting in Clutch’s survey.
Simply offering stock benefits, however, is not the best way to attract and retain talent.
Before crafting a benefits package for your company, study your competitors’ benefits and ask your current employees what perks they most value.
A strategic small business can gain advantages by filling gaps that their competitors overlook.
For example, despite its relatively marginal cost, less than half of small businesses (45%) provide employees with paid time off.
Small business with the bandwidth to offer flexible work arrangements are also at an advantage.
In 2019, over half (56%) of small businesses plan to expand employee benefits offerings.
Companies are most likely to begin offering paid time off, health care, and in-office perks – pressuring their competitors to match these offerings to remain relevant.
Given the tight labor market and increasing competition from competitors, your small businesses should offer generous benefits packages to compete for top talent.
Professionalize Your Human Resource Services
Small businesses without formal HR support are at a disadvantage when recruiting and retaining employees.
Clutch found that 90% of small businesses without an HR function don’t offer employee benefits.
Companies that intend to offer comprehensive benefits should invest in a professional HR company or resource to effectively execute benefits packages and recruiting efforts.
In-house recruitment specialists also can benefit from recruitment software, which helps to manage job postings, candidate profiles, and interview scheduling.
HR responsibilities go beyond posting to job boards and reviewing resumes, though.
Social media and online forums are effective channels to connect with potential candidates. The activities involved in social recruiting, though, are time-consuming and require professional-level marketing and communications.
Given the significant return on investment, companies without an HR staff should consider adding professional HR resources to help manage their recruiting efforts.
Consult with Recruiting and Staffing Service Firms
Small businesses unable to add professional resources to an in-house HR staff can benefit from the services of recruiting and staffing firms, which help find and pre-screen qualified candidates.
Outsourced HR professionals can speed the process of finding the right people by helping your company research the market, budget your financial resources, and present your brand in the best light possible.
Professional HR consultants are a worthwhile investment that can deliver your company attractive candidates and save your company money.
Using the Right Approach, Small Businesses Can Recruit Top Talent
Small businesses committed to recruiting qualified people should offer a comprehensive and competitive benefits package. By professionalizing an in-house HR team, consulting with HR experts, or working with recruiting and staffing firms, small businesses can attract top talent in a competitive job market.
About the author: Seamus Roddy is a Content Writer for Clutch, a B2B research, ratings, and reviews platform in Washington, D.C. His research studies recruiting agencies and trends and review helps companies find the best HR resources.