As a small business owner, it‘s exciting to watch your company grow. But at the same time, deciding to expand your team can give you more than a few sleepless nights. The hardest part is knowing when to ramp up the workforce. After all, hiring is an expensive process and comes with its unique set of risks.
If you’re not sure if it‘s time to open a few new positions at your small business, here are some red flags that may tell you when it is:
You’re turning away work
Believe it or not, your customers don‘t want to hear that you are too busy to accept new work from them. Some of them will stop offering. Turning down work tells the wrong story about your operation, so if you often find yourself saying “no“ to new orders, it‘s time to get more team members.
You’re losing customers
Along those same lines, if you‘re losing customers because they have become frustrated by missed due dates or your disorganized process, the solution might be a few key hires to help you right the ship and start satisfying those hard-won customers once again.
You need a worker with a specific skill
Perhaps the customer service side of your growing business is not getting the attention it needs. Or maybe you no longer have the time to look after the books like you have in the past. There are always going to be areas of the business that you no longer can handle as the company expands. Maybe a contract worker can help temporarily, but if your business growth is ongoing, you should consider some specialized full-time help.
There are more mistakes than usual in the workplace
There will always be some mistakes in the workplace, but if they have become habitual, it could be a sign that you‘re overbooked, and your people are overworked. Some of the signs of an overburdened workforce include forgetfulness, short tempers, and a drop in the quality of work.
Fatigued workers are not good for company morale. Adding some much-needed help to the team will change the environment.
It has been years since you‘ve taken a vacation
Your mental health will decline if you don‘t get that all-important time away from work. Of course, your business is important to you and takes up a significant chunk of your life. But as passionate as you feel about it now, your business will become an unwelcome burden if it takes away from time with your family or a good night‘s sleep.
Are you looking to grow your team?
The Resource has been helping employers find quality workers for 40 years. Our expert staff can assist you in finding the right fit for your organization, and that‘s one of the reasons we‘re a top employment agency in North Carolina.
