When the staff at Apples & Oranges Public Relations, a boutique public relations, business-development and events-planning firm based in New York City, realized they could not meet their deadlines and were unable to update their social media pages on a regular basis because of a heavy workload, they knew they had to hire more employees. Hiring new employees turned out to be a great investment for the firm, because it helped the business run smoother, stay organized and cut down on employee overtime, creating a more productive and happier work environment.
In order to keep current employees happy and engaged, it is important for growing small businesses to thoroughly examine if it is time for them to hire more employees or just redistribute the workload among current employees. To do this, Jean Roque, president and owner of Trupp HR located in Portland, Ore., believes it is crucial for small businesses to plan ahead and implement an objective strategy to assess whether or not it is necessary to make a new hire. “Some companies tend to hire someone because there is a vocal leader who says they need more help,” she says, “but it’s good to have a system in place to objectively assess if there actually is a need for another employee.” Here are a few key factors to look for that may indicate you need to hire additional employees:
Too Much Work
If a small business has to turn away potential clients to avoid being overbooked; if the workload is causing a lapse in customer service; or if the volume of work for each employee is making them work overtime often, that is a sure sign that more help is needed.
A Disengaged Workforce
When employees feel overworked and stressed, they can become disengaged, which in turn affects productivity. Hiring more employees is not only more exciting for everyone at the company, but it helps alleviate some of the stress and workload of current employees, keeping them engaged and happy. Indeed, according to the Gallup Employee Engagement poll, companies that fall in the top half on employee engagement are 21 percent more productive than those with less-engaged employees.
Seeking Specialized Skills
If an employee with a special skill is needed at the company to pursue a new line of business or opportunity, and no current employees possess that skill, a new hire might be imperative.
An Increase in Business
It may be tempting for companies that experience an increase in business to simply redistribute the workload in order to boost profits and save money. To ensure that customer service and employee morale stays high, however, companies should consider hiring additional employees.
An Open Position
When an employee leaves, many businesses feel the need to fill that position with a similarly skilled employee. Roque recommends, however, that a small business take the time to assess the company’s needs before rushing to hire someone. “They need to be intentional with how they are hiring, think of need and find someone to fill it,” Roque says.
In a recovering economy, many small business owners may feel that redistributing an increasing workload to current employees is a financially safer practice than hiring more employees. While this appears to be a logical money-saving option, it is often not worth the price a company pays by having stressed out, overworked and unhappy employees. What’s more, an organized workforce can help boost business by providing clients with the personal attention they want and expect..
At Apples & Oranges Public Relations, hiring more employees has allowed for a more organized system within the firm because each person is assigned specific tasks within a department. “Everyone focuses on their specific department or their piece of the puzzle,” says Amore Leighton Black, senior publicist at Apples & Oranges. “When each of us focuses on specific tasks, things run like a well-oiled machine.”