Staffing Your Small Business? Use This Strategy to Hire the Best People

"No one wants to work anymore" isn't true.

Despite warnings of an impending recession by, well, just about everybody, the U.S. hasn't yet seen the bottom fall out of the labor market. In fact, unemployment is currently at its lowest rate since 1969. It's the best time to be a worker in decades, as we have options for employment and no longer have to settle for just any job, regardless of the pay and benefits.

If you're a small business owner who's ready to bring on new employees, you may be wondering what this means for your prospects. Ultimately, it means you're going to have to try a little harder to appeal to the best people in your line of work.

Yes, people want to work -- for a fair wage

I changed careers in 2021 and decided to become a full-time freelancer in 2022 (then followed through on that dream in early 2023), and I can tell you that it's no fun to love the work you do but not be paid enough to truly live your life. "No one wants to work anymore" has been the rallying cry of business owners and hiring managers, and this just isn't true.

As MarketWatch noted, 57 million Americans may have left their jobs between January 2021 and February 2022, but 89 million people were hired during this time. So this was less "Great Resignation" and more "Great Negotiation," when millions of American workers decided it was time to find a better working situation.

In short, people do want to do work that is meaningful to them. And they want to do it for a fair wage that allows them to live well in the now and save money for their future goals. This means if you want the kind of employees you can rely on for the long term (and you do, as every time you have to hire new people, it costs you time and money), you're going to have to pay them enough to make the job worth it. Remember, while your small business may be your passion project, it's not fair to expect others to feel the same way about it. For many people, a job is a way to pay bills. And that is just fine. All that matters is that your employees are helping you grow your business and become a success.

How do you hire the best people?

Now that you've resolved to approach hiring with this in mind, how do you find the right people for the right pay? Here's a few tips:

• Think quality, not quantity: Don't assume you need a big team of full-time employees to accomplish your goals, as you might not (especially at the start of your hiring push). You can hire part-timers and freelancers. If you offer talented contractors good money, for example, you can get qualified help without needing to cover benefits.
• Consult with other business owners: Trying to figure out what you should pay? Reach out to other people in your line of work and see what they pay to give yourself a starting point.
• Lean on the wonders of the internet: The internet is another great place to find salary data and examples of job postings that attract talent.
• Be positive: If you approach hiring in the mindset of "no one wants to work," you may find it's a self-fulfilling prophecy, as people may not want to work for you. Who wants a boss with contempt for their employees? Instead, create a positive company culture and invest in staff by way of non-monetary benefits, too. This will give you a leg up in hiring in this competitive market.

If you offer fair wages and a good working environment, you will be able to hire good people. And since your employees can make or break your business, it's worth pursuing the best talent you can get, even if it costs you more than you may be hoping.