Tuesday, 26th October 2021 | Management
Help wanted: How Canadian small businesses can attract and retain staff
Post-pandemic, attracting and retaining staff is a key issue for Canadian small businesses. Here are some ways to help secure your workforce.
The past year and a half have been extremely challenging for Canadians in general, but nearly impossible for small businesses who have had to adjust to closures, safety protocols, and restrictions. Finally, vaccination rates are rising and restrictions are lifting but with this change comes a new problem: staffing shortages. In what industry observers are calling The Great Resignation, people are leaving their jobs en masse—and filling their positions is proving to be one of the biggest challenges yet.
In Canada, the need for employees is great but the resources to pay them properly are not. According to the Small Business Recovery Dashboard by the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses, only 78% of small businesses are fully open, less than half are fully staffed and only 39% are achieving typical sales. In turn, the labour shortage is leading to delays, sub-standard service, and the inability to fully recover. Attracting and retaining staff is a key issue for Canadian small businesses. Read on for tips on how to secure your workforce.
Promote
Start with the employees you already know and trust and give them promotions—even to positions more than one level up the ladder. These so-called skip-level promotions can help you fill key roles while demonstrating appreciation to existing employees. This can foster loyalty while shifting your business’ needs to lower-level positions that may require less training or experience.
Offer flexible scheduling
Everyone’s lives are a bit chaotic right now so being able to offer your employees a flexible work schedule can be a major benefit. Apps like Sling or Skedulo can help you create multi-employee schedules painlessly while allowing for on-the-fly changes.
Allow work-from-home opportunities
COVID-19 made remote work a necessity, forcing businesses in a wide array of industries to adapt to a work-from-home model. Many employees enjoyed reduced commute times, increased contact with family, and flexibility around childcare and other home-based responsibilities. You can attract staff by offering work-from-home opportunities where it makes sense for your business.
Pay well
If you’re among the business owners whose sales have decreased, it might seem contradictory to offer a competitive compensation package but it’s worth considering particularly if you’re unable to keep regular hours or meet customer needs due to a labour shortage. Even a modest bump in pay might be enough to attract good candidates.
Incentives and rewards
Some businesses have gotten creative with the incentives on offer. For example, the owner of Oyster Boy, a Toronto restaurant, rewarded six of his employees with a 5% stake in his business as a token of his appreciation for their hard work during the pandemic. Decisions like this not only help retain loyal employees, they boost your reputation as a fair and thoughtful employer in your industry. Other ideas for incentives include signing bonuses, profit sharing, and health benefits.
In a competitive market to attract staff, Canadian small businesses will have to show that they’re a worthwhile place to work. Flexible scheduling and opportunities to work from home join traditional incentives like good pay and rewards on our list of top tips to get you the employees you need.
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