Hiring: it is truly one of the most crucial processes for a small business’ success. Finding the right people to bring aboard can make the difference between struggling to make the steps you need and thriving in ways you never before thought were possible.
This also means hiring can be an incredibly stressful and anxiety-filled process. As an employer, you are likely to feel a great deal of pressure to make the right hiring decisions for your company.
For many American small businesses in parts of the country, this already-stressful process has been made even worse by the opioid crisis. Due to this horrendous epidemic, many employers have to worry about not only finding qualified candidates to fill job openings, but also a job force that is facing complex and difficult issues that seriously impact job retention, hire-ability, and reliability.
So what do you do as an employer when facing situations like this? It is in these moments of crisis that it’s best to take a hard look at how you approach the affected parts of your business, and ask whether there are other options available.
The opioid crisis has created difficulties for many small businesses to hire in a way that effectively fills their needs. While many businesses may not be affected by such a dire issue, it does not mean they cannot learn something from this epidemic.
The best way to survive a crisis is to be prepared for it before it ever becomes an issue. While you can’t prepare specifically for every possible problem (especially if it does not exist yet), you can still take steps to be be ready when trouble does arise. Look at your current hiring process and consider any areas where you might have blinders on.
- Where are you sourcing your hires from geographically?
- Are they exclusively local?
- Could there be an untapped talent pool elsewhere?
- Would working for your company be worth relocating to potential employees?
- What avenues do you use to broadcast job openings?
By proactively exploring alternatives to your current hiring process, you will not only set up your company for receiving stronger, more diverse applicants, but also provide yourself with options that may get you through any moments of crisis down the line.
