Every component of a small business is crucial, from its core strategy all the way down to its stationary supplier. There’s no room for inefficiency, idleness, or wasted potential, not when the competition is so fierce, and the risk of failure is so high. As a result of this, small business employees should be able to stand as a pillar of the business’ structure, bringing something distinct and valuable to the team dynamic.
If you’re looking to build a team for your small business, it’s essential to know what kind of employees you should be on the lookout for.
1) The Up-and-Comer
Employing someone fresh out of school or college might sound like a recipe for disaster. Why, after all, would you want someone on your team who has no experience in the real world? That’s the thing, though, fresh-faced small business employees are also free from lousy working habits and corner-cutting tendencies. Taught correctly, they can become perfect models of an employee, able to train subsequent hires and be relied upon to uphold your business’ practices to the letter.
2) The Old Hand
Contrasting The Up-and-Comer, “The Old Hand” represents an employee who has had years of experience elsewhere in your chosen industry. They might be a little stubborn and set in their ways, but their value lies in how much experience they bring to the table. If your business encounters an issue, odds are The Old Hand has lived through something remarkably similar; they can help steer your team in the right direction and away from disaster. As they say, “those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it”.
3) The People Person
A team without a sense of camaraderie isn’t a team at all: it’s just a group of people working in close proximity. Hiring a People Person, then, should be high on your list of priorities. By enabling conversation and fostering a team-centric atmosphere within the workplace, The People Person can transform a group of small business employees into a fully-fledged small business team.
4) The Ideas Machine
In business, problems are inevitable; their solutions often require a touch of ingenuity in small businesses. That’s why you need an Ideas Machine on your team, someone who can think about problems from a unique perspective and arrive at solutions that won’t break the bank for your business and its limited means. Also, Ideas Machines are superb for arriving at innovations with regards to your product or service offering. Put simply; small business employees don’t come much more valuable than The Ideas Machine. You should make sure you’ve got one on your side.
5) The Old Reliable
Do you need something done? Does it need to be done well? You need The Old Reliable. Diligent, dependable, and responsible, this employee will keep your business ticking over smoothly with their work’s unwavering quality. Big ideas and sweeping innovations are great, but they’re useless without someone willing to get their head down and get the job done right.
As you can see, an employee can bring so much more to a team than what their job description might state. Small business employees need to be able to let their talents and specializations shine through. Give them the room to do that, and your business will only benefit as a result.