In uncertain economic times taking on a full-time member of staff may be too much of a commitment for small businesses.
But key staff who leave may still have to be partially replaced, while other projects may come up that require you to bring in some additional help.
According to David Curtis, managing director of Women Like Us, small businesses would do well to consider taking on part-timers - such as women looking to return to work after a career break - who can work either in-house or remotely and provide support and assistance on a more flexible basis.
"Hiring an experienced person on a part-time basis may financially be a more viable way for a business to bring in quality, motivated staff during turbulent economic times," he says. "Sourcing staff from the talent pool of women returners can also be a beneficial way to manage growth for new and growing businesses."
Women Like Us offers the following tips on how to go about developing such a strategy:
Start as you mean to go on
Recruit people who not only have
the skills for the role, but the values and work ethic to fit with the flexible
working approach of your organisation. Flexible working works best by talking
situations through rather than a ‘one size fits all' approach. Building a
shared understanding of what flexible working is (and is not) is important to
get right from the start.
It's good to talk
Agreeing on flexible
working, and making it work is mainly about communication. Real business
practicalities will need to be taken into consideration alongside any
candidate's requirements. So it's important to listen, avoid assumptions and
understand the facts. Take the time to talk through the options, and if it
helps, do things for a trial period and keep talking about what works and what
does not.
Get the right match
Just as flexible working can benefit your company, there are
thousands of experienced candidates who specifically want part-time rather than
full-time work. Those looking for part-time roles are less likely to leave,
even when a credit crunch lessens and a full time job market picks up.
Design flexibility
into job roles
Train your managers to hold effective discussions about
flexible working with their employees to reduce the likelihood of difficulties
which may arise out of poor communication. If you get it right, you can reap
the benefits of a flexible workforce, including reduced stress which results in
reduced sickness absence, more energy among employees and a richer mix of
skills among staff. There are other add-on benefits, for example personal
commitments can also be fulfilled more easily in employees' own time, so fewer
dental appointments in the middle of the working day or late starts because of
a must-see class assembly.
Promote a work/life
balance
Encourage your employees to have good self-awareness. They
should consider if they are someone who can work well from home and whether
they would work better for three full days rather than hours spread across the
week. Build specific flexible working strategies into your business.
Know where to access
talent
The good news for employers is that there is a large market
of reliable people who wish to work-part time, including an estimated half a
million women who are looking for part-time or flexible work to fit around
their families, and who have the qualifications, skill sets and experience that
employers are looking for.
For more information visit www.womenlikeus.org.uk
