Small business is the backbone of the British Columbia economy.  In 2014 there were over 382,000 businesses operating in the province with less than 50 employees.  Of this number, 82% had less than 5 employees.  Small business employs 40% of BC’s workforce.

These businesses as they grow have human resources issues that, in many cases, are new to them.  Many times, they do not know they need human resources assistance, and many times they cannot afford the cost of bringing in a consultant.

Online sites have resources and, although good, many are aimed at large organizations and the messages are sometimes confusing to the small business owner.  For hiring, computers searching for keywords in resumes is far from a reality for these businesses.  They want to see the ‘whites of the eyes’ of their potential employees and not the impressive keywords.  The references to the ‘human resources department’, and the myriad of policies and procedures that are presented are enough to make some small entrepreneurs ‘run for the hills’.

Straightforward, easy to understand, factual, HR information is what is needed for small business and can be found in, ‘Hiring, Managing and Keeping the Best’ by Maureen Fitzgerald and Monica Beauregard.  The book can be ordered from www.maureenfitzgerald.com and is a valuable resource for anyone with employees or contemplating hiring employees.

Keeping it simple is essential for small business as each owner/operator wears many hats and time is at a premium.  Any resources that can make it easier to do the day-to-day tasks are valuable!

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