Small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) tend to carry out many functions themselves, and recruitment is no different. For SMBs, the application of thoughtful and effective recruitment practices will help draw the best candidates, minimise the cost associated with hiring, and create an adaptable workforce that can continue to grow alongside their SMB.
This guide provides best practices for SMBs regarding recruitment and concludes with the potential of partnering with a specialised firm to increase their efforts in recruiting candidates for their businesses.
Best Recruitment Practices for Small and Medium Businesses
Clarify needs and come up with a simple hiring roadmap
The absolute first thing that is required of you is to determine which people’s roles will contribute the most to the growth of your business in the coming 12-18 months, and then make brief job descriptions that show the necessary skills and the expected results instead of giving a long and unnecessarily detailed list of ideal skills and qualifications.
Work out a straightforward recruitment plan that illustrates which positions you will be filling first, an approximate timeline for each job, and a tentative recruitment budget.
By having a detailed plan that lays out the steps of recruitment, you will be able to avoid making quick hiring decisions that are not very wise, and it will be possible to keep the level of the hiring process consistent from now on.
Leverage what you already have
Many SMBs fail to see the potential of their own employees as a great asset in helping them hire new people. You can use your existing employees to bring in new talent by setting up a simple employee referral program (e.g., giving cash bonuses or recognising an employee who brought a new hire).
Motivate your current employees to become company representatives by encouraging them to share their personal experiences about the company culture and how the company aligns with their values daily. The power of a well-developed internal referral network will result in less time needed to find a new employee and improved retention rates of all potential new hires.
Build a compelling, concise employer value proposition
With the tough competition that exists in the market these days, you must separate yourself from other employers by giving a strong reason for a job seeker to apply to your company. Today’s candidates seek to work in a company that has a positive impact, fosters their career development, offers flexibility in their work environment, and provides opportunities for advancement through a clearly defined career path.
Make sure that you communicate these employee value propositions very clearly in all your job postings, on your career site, and also in any direct outreach communication to retain the same message in different communication channels.
Streamline screening and decision-making
Develop an easy-to-follow candidate engagement model that is simple. Some of the most effective ways to engage candidates include:
- A quick reference screening checklist containing only the required skill sets and immediate impact
- A limited number of short pre-formulated interview questions, focusing on the important points to learn about a candidate.
- A simple and effective method to get a skills check or job-related task promptly.
- Defined timelines and clear next steps for each candidate as soon as possible.
Automating the smaller tasks (e.g., scheduling or initial screening) will probably help you to reduce the admin workload and thus, a substantial amount of time will be freed for your recruitment team.
Use multi-challenge sourcing strategically
The ability to better attract talent from a significantly larger pool can be accomplished by SMBs using an integrated approach by combining:
- Use local job boards and community-based recruiting for instant access to job seekers.
- Utilise social media and professional networking sites to connect with passive candidates.
- Partner with local education providers, community organisations, or other industry partners.
- Utilise flexible and/or contract-based employment to evaluate candidates’ capabilities before committing to hire them permanently.
In order to maximise the breadth of an umbrella, SMBs must ensure that the breadth and quality of their communication are in line with the requirements of each respective position and fit within the culture of the business.
Prioritise candidate exposure
Team sizes vary, but a great experience for candidates, regardless of team size, is important. Communication about when to expect a reply from you, as well as feedback during the hiring process, should be of a good standard, and employers should try to be as transparent as possible about compensation. A respectful and efficient process is a way to show that you are committed to the best candidates by making them willing to accept your offer, and it also helps to an employer’s brand.
Ensure Compliance and fair hiring
To reduce the risks, comply with all relevant state and local laws/regulations. Employ typical interview questions to avoid the creation of any bias and to guarantee that your screening is conducted in a fair manner.
Also, keep a record of each hiring decision. If small or medium enterprises (SMBs) decide to grow their business in a new market or make a cross-regional workforce hire, it would be wise to get an expert who not only understands the regulatory intricacies of hiring in those regions but also the visa implications.
Measure, Learn, and iterate
Monitor basic metrics to measure efficiency:
- Source Channel Performance/Time to Fill
- Quality of New Employees (level of performance + Retention at 6 to 12 months)
- Feedback from Applicants (Indicators of Candidate Experience)
Have regularly scheduled reviews of metrics with leadership and make changes in processes based on the results of those reviews.
How 6 Pence Can Help SMBs
Partnering with a specialised provider such as 6 Pence can create value for small and medium-sized manufacturers to increase the success of their recruitment without utilising additional internal staff time, energy, or budget. 6 Pence provides custom solutions designed exclusively for small and medium-sized manufacturing:
- Provides flexibility in sourcing and screening of important positions, both locally and overseas.
- Streamlines the onboarding and payroll processes applicable to off-site hires.
- Provides support and guidance in benchmarking markets, designing job functions, and ensuring compliance to mitigate risk and reduce time-to-hire.
By partnering with 6 Pence, manufacturers can maximise the credibility of their recruiting processes, widen their talent search through the introduction of diversified talent sources, and free internal resources to concentrate on their key business objectives.
Also Read:
How to Choose the Right Recruitment Agency for Your Business
