If we’re all honest with ourselves, we have to agree most small businesses are short-handed. In my 30 years of business consulting, I would estimate 40% to 50% of my client/franchisee interactions have something to do with staffing. Short-staffed, as a condition, can be caused by a number of other conditions, and “short-handed” can come in many forms.

There has been a lot of talk about hiring woes in today’s booming job market. In R&R’s State of the Industry study in 2018 and 2019, hiring and retaining employees was identified as the top pain point for restoration contractors. With the unemployment rate sitting at a very steady 3.7%, that’s not new news to anyone, right?

I enjoy reading entry level job advertisements for the restoration industry. They remind me of a simpler way of living. Pack a lunch every night, wake up earlier than you want to, perform physical labor before 7 a.m., break for 15 minutes at lunch, and come home tired.

We all know how hard it is to find good employees. We’ve all heard it: “People don’t want to work.”; “Don’t hire anyone younger than 30.”; “Everyone has an entitlement mentality.” Blah, blah, blah. 

It is true that all entrepreneurs are self-employed, however, not all who are self-employed are entrepreneurs. There is a profound difference between the two. And, not all who are self-employed should try to be entrepreneurs.

Have you ever had someone take a chance by hiring you? How did it turn out? How did it feel when you succeeded and excelled in that role?

It doesn’t make any difference if your restoration or remediation business is large or small, not having the right people in every position in your company can mean a huge bottom-line cost in lost business, inefficiency, and missed opportunities.