Why would someone want to work for you?

Small businesses offer intangibles that appeal to many job candidates

By Chris Amorosino
Free-lance writer in Unionville

Think about it. The big companies provide higher salaries. More fringe benefits. Better training programs. More of a career path. Why would someone want to work in a small business like yours? For plenty of reasons, according to three Connecticut human resource experts.

‘Small’ has advantages
“What small businesses sometimes view as a liability is really an asset,” says Brian Beaudin, vice president at the Avon human resources firm, People Manage-ment Northeast. “There are thousands of people who don’t want to be part of a big-company culture. To attract employees, I would advertise things like, ‘small, family-owned business.’” That approach is exactly what many candidates are looking for, Beaudin says.

More and more of today’s best job candidates also want better control and balance in their lives — something that’s easier to find in a small company, according to Catherine Candland, president and CEO of Advantage Human Resourcing Inc. in Stamford. Small companies that are willing to be flexible can help people better control their work and the balance between work and life outside of the job. 

For example, Candland cites a Fairfield County C.P.A. firm that adapts to the schedules of parents with small children. The company allows people to work at home online and come into the office when their children are in school. As a result, the firm attracts a high caliber of recruits and has high employee retention. 

Flexibility also works for a small Avon company where Beaudin says people can work virtually any hours as long as they get the work done. One employee arrives about 11 a.m., but stays until 8 p.m. Other small Connecticut companies along an infamously snail-paced interstate allow employees to telecommute two days a week so they’re not spending as much time vegetating in traffic. 

Another attraction small businesses provide is the increased importance of each employee. In a company of 25 or 75 people, every person’s contribution is critical. Eileen Candels, vice president and district manager for Kelly Services in Farmington, points out that employees in a small company are much more likely to notice the direct results of their work on the company’s progress. That’s a great lure for workers, she says.

Many small companies parlay their environment, location and community involvement into attracting people. A few small amenities like a shower for runners, a walking trail, picnic tables and pizza on the house once a month can add up to a big difference. “For many of these little nuances, people will say, ‘This is really cool,” and “I’m not leaving, even though I could make a little more somewhere else,’” Beaudin says. Candels cites a Bristol company that uses many small, creative ways to attract employees, including allowing them to bring their pets to work and leave them in a specially designed fenced-in play area.

Company, know thyself
Once you attract good candidates, what’s next? Beaudin says one key is to avoid the trap of assuming you know what prospective employees want. He suggests making a list of reasons why your company is a good place to work, and checking that list with your management team. More importantly, seek out long-term, mid- or low-level employees and ask them why they stay. Ask what they like besides the salary and benefits and build what you find out into the message all job candidates receive.

Expose job candidates to the work environment. Have them talk to people who’ve been in the job, promoted out of the job, and managed the job. One Farmington manufacturer has an employee committee that meets with job candidates. The more candidates experience the company and the people before the hiring decision, the better that decision will be for both the candidate and your company. 

It’s not enough to hire someone who has the right skills and experience, according to Candland. You also must make sure to hire someone who is motivated to do the job you need done and who will fit in with the company culture. She says 80% of people who leave a job leave because they’re uncomfortable with the work environment. 

“Make believe you’re a job candidate on the outside of your company looking in,” says Beaudin. “Then, make assessments about the company and why it’s good to work there. If you can’t be introspective, you’re always going to have trouble hiring and keeping employees even when it’s a market that favors the employer. If you can’t look at yourself and understand yourself, how can you possibly represent yourself accurately?” 

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