Making the Decision to Recruit as an SME – The Options
By Capability Jane
Making the decision to take on a new member of staff is critical for any business. For SME’s this decision can hold even more importance given the financial ramifications to the business.
During periods of rapid expansion SMEs quickly find the need for additional expertise, frequently for a role that they haven’t employed before. As is often the case with entirely new roles, it can be hard to find the budget or to be sure whether there is the need for a full time role.
Businesses are built around people and it is the expertise of their employees that lead to success.
For SMEs, finding the employees with the right skills can be tough. Potential hires with the skills and experience needed to help an SME thrive often go to companies with the buying power or brand to woo the best of the best.
This highlights why government research into the success of SMEs showed that 28% of SME’s reported that a shortage of skills was an obstacle to their business success.
To help overcome SME skills shortages it can be worth thinking outside the box.
It is estimated that 43% of the workforce already works outside the traditional concept of full time, permanent employment. This represents a great opportunity for you to increase your capacity on a flexible basis.
Here are a few options that can help you do just that!
Consider flexible working or reduced hours options
There’s an untapped market of highly experienced potential hires out there that need flexible working or reduced hours. Parents who have taken time out from high powered executive jobs to have a family are often on the lookout for a role that would fit in with their family life.
Tap into this market and you could bag the skills that’ll help drive your company forward.
Split a full time job into a job share
We all love a two for the price of one offer and that’s exactly what you can get if you split a full time job into a job share.
For the same cost you’ll be able to get the benefit of two people’s collective experience and skills.
To get the best out of this situation you’ll need to foster a close working relationship between your hires and ensure a warm handover process is in place.
Get this right and it’s a win win for you and your company.
Hire an interim consultant
Whilst hiring an interim consultant can be a little more costly they are very used to coming in, hitting the ground running and making moves quickly that make a real difference.
Their experience can be vital in understanding barriers to growth and they can often spot issues that are hard to see from the inside.
Internships
Interns might not have the experience but they certainly have the enthusiasm. Taking on an intern can be a chance to mould the future of your company from the ground up.
Interns are a cost effective solution and if you’re lucky they can even bring new ideas from academia or their own experiences that can shape your future developments.
Interns are a great option for SMEs as they offer minimal risk with substantial rewards.
As you can see, there are a variety of options available to help you overcome your staffing needs. Whether you’re experiencing a period of rapid growth or just looking to fill the gaps left by leaving staff, the options above can offer a plethora of rewards.
At Capability Jane we specialise in sourcing talented executives on a flexible, part-time or job share basis and help you to access a more diverse pool of candidates.
Contact us on 0845 604 1916 for more information about how we can help your business flourish.
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