How an SME’s success can rely on its recruitment
When it comes to expanding a small business, the staff that are initially recruited will play a pivotal role in shaping its future.
If bosses choose wrongly, success might not be forthcoming or may take longer to achieve, which places a great onus on recruitment and getting it right.
This often means finding individuals with the necessary skills and character that fit with a business and its future plans.
Maintaining the original culture of a company – that which is often loved by staff – is not always possible when achieving scale, which means finding the right balance is required.
More firms are now looking to diversify their workforces, ensuring that the key skills and requirements are met.
Targeting wisely
In many cases this means looking past CVs to see the individual qualities that someone could bring to a role.
Those with fresh ideas and an entrepreneurial spirit might just be sat on an idea that can propel a firm towards success more quickly, for example.
Focusing on soft skills is also important as people will need to fit in quickly, making communication, teamwork and customer interaction key skills to search for.
The other end of the spectrum
Of course there are instances when recruitment doesn’t work out for a firm and this can create financial problems if not carefully managed.
In the early stages of expansion, many small firms can ill afford to spend a lot of money on staff, meaning a wrong placement could cost money that is then not there to rectify the situation.
Restructuring a business may provide a solution for those who feel severely threatened financially, although it is not the only way to ensure the longevity of a firm.
The key for any small business is to act quickly and decisively as it should limit any negative impacts that may occur from having unproductive or underperforming staff.
However, for those that do take time to find the right employees for their business, it should ensure that their workforce is more motivated, skilled and prepared to stay in their roles.
By Phil Smith