5 Tips for a Stronger Small Business from Bill Spadea and VCSHR

As you know, we spend a lot of time celebrating and promoting small business on the morning show. Much of my campaign for governor was centered on helping the average New Jerseyan get to the next level. Average New Jerseyans and the small businesses they run and work for are truly the backbone of our Main Street economy.

One of the NJ businesses that has a small business focus and is helping so many family businesses get more effective, more efficient, and hopefully more profitable is VCSHR.

I spent some time with the owner, my friend Guy DiMemmo. He offered some great insight and some tips for YOUR business. Here ya go:

1. Do More with Less

Small businesses do not have the luxury of overfilling positions with unqualified staff members. They need to maximize their profit margins by hiring the best candidates possible. Better to hire one eager, positive and ambitious person who can do the work of many instead of just filling positions because it's on your org chart or that's how it's always been done. VCSHR offers tools to track employee time and efficiency. A more efficient process will help you retain productive, qualified employees

2. Maintain Transparent Job Responsibilities

Responsibilities and expectations for employees should be clear from onboarding. If an employee is hired to do one job but finds themselves doing another, it can be demoralizing and lead to burnout and employee attrition. As a manager, you need to set expectations and recognize your employees’ strengths to maximize their abilities. Make sure to highlight and reward employee achievements to build employee investment in YOUR company and mission.

3. Leverage Technology to Supplement Your Workforce

You cannot replace all of your employees with technology. Whether it's AI or automation, technology is a powerful tool and a good investment when done strategically. You must ensure that you balance your labor costs with the need to maintain a level of service expected by your customers. Leverage the human element at your company — we're all only as strong as the people who comprise our workforce. Technology is wonderful, but it can’t solve everything!

4. Help Your Employees Grow

Make sure that employees can and want to do the jobs that you hire them for. When you hire a rockstar, you need to make sure that they see growth potential with a roadmap for career advancement and provide them with the training and resources they need to stay at the top of their game. Track training and have a system in place for employee reviews.  Provide achievable opportunities for employee betterment and professional growth.

5. Keep Morale High by Encouraging a Positive Company Culture

Keep employees engaged and prevent burnout by utilizing S.M.A.R.T. goals and other workload strategies. Employer-sponsored events and outings, from pizza lunches to a night at the local baseball stadium, encourage camaraderie and raise morale among staff. They go a long way to building a company culture that makes people want to do their best. All work and no play can easily lead to burnout. Pay your employees on time to ensure high morale and your company’s reputation.