Growing pains….they’re real! 

We probably all remember the awkward middle school years—plagued with acne, orthodontics, and questionable wardrobe choices we likely want to forget….

Now, take those awkward years as teens and apply that feeling to a startup or small business. Sure, the environment is different, but ultimately the pain and awkwardness that comes with growth are the same. It’s part of the process; it’s part of the transformation to the next stage.

Growing pains are inevitable and one of the greatest or most common growing pains for businesses is hiring additional staff.  It’s scary, the outcome is unknown, it takes time, there are risks and no guarantees….eek!!!

But if you don’t hire someone, you may not grow, scale, or have the impact you’re aiming for.  

No bueno.

So, how do you know when is the right time to hire?

1. Increased workload: If your current staff is overworked or unable to handle the volume of work, it may be time to bring in additional help.
2. Expansion: As your business expands, you may need to hire help to manage the increased demand for your products or services.
3. Specialized skills: If your business requires specialized skills or expertise that you or your current employees do not have, you may need to hire someone with those skills.
4. Employee turnover: If you have experienced high turnover in your staff, it may be necessary to hire new team members to fill the gaps.
5. New projects: If your business is starting a new project that requires additional manpower, it may be necessary to hire new team members (either permanent or temporary) to complete the project on time.

Ultimately, the decision to grow your team should be based on the needs of your business and whether you have the resources to support a new hire—especially time and money.  

Time

According to Indeed.com, the hiring process can take weeks to months to complete because the hiring process is incredibly complex. It can include, but is not limited to:

1. Posting the job: This is the first step in the hiring process and involves creating and posting a job description on job boards, social media, and company websites. This can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days.
2. Screening resumes and applications: This involves reviewing resumes and applications to determine which candidates meet the minimum qualifications for the position. Depending on the number of applications received, this can take a few days to a week or more.
3. Conducting interviews: This step involves conducting interviews with the most promising candidates. Depending on the number of candidates and the type of interviews (phone, video, or in-person), this step can take a few days to a few weeks.
4. Checking references and conducting background checks: Once a candidate has been selected, the employer may conduct reference checks and background checks. This can take a few days to a week.
5. Extending an offer: If the candidate passes the reference and background checks, the employer may extend an offer of employment. The candidate may take a few days to consider the offer before accepting it.
6. Onboarding: Once the candidate has accepted the offer, the employer may begin the onboarding process, which includes filling out paperwork, setting up accounts, and training. This process can take a few days to a few weeks.

If you or a trusted employee has the capacity to take on this process, then you’re set! Move on to the next section.

If those steps overwhelm you, don’t fret! There are ways to simplify the process and reduce the workload and stress you may incur by hiring through an agency like ours! 

That’s right, VYA can expedite and simplify the hiring process so that you can grow your team with less headache. 

Virtually Yours takes on steps 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.  We bring our clients a curated list of highly qualified candidates they can interview.  We also share the scope of work with the VA before the interview. When our clients meet with one of our selected VA candidates, they are already interviewing VAs who have been vetted, align with our values, and agree to our codes of conduct.

PLUS, the VA is not only qualified but has already expressed interest in working with the client and understands the scope of work. It’s a win for everyone!

The second most important resource to consider when determining if you can hire someone is the monetary investment. 

Money

According to Indeed.com, hiring costs can vary significantly based on the company, hiring process, location, and role they are hiring for. Most companies can expect to pay between $4,000 and $20,000 to hire a new employee, not including salary and benefits. 

Yikes!!!

Because the expense of adding a new team member is so great it’s important to ensure they are the right fit. The ideal scenario as a business owner would be to enter into a contract with a new team member at a minimal cost and with some flexibility regarding the terms of the relationship. A long-term investment and long-term contract may lock you into working with a team member that isn’t ideal. When you factor in losses in time and money, it could turn into a disaster!!!!

That potential risk is why adding a team member from an agency is so attractive. 

Hiring team members through an agency like VYA allows the employer greater flexibility, increased cost savings, and greater peace of mind. 

All-in-all, don’t let the awkward years of business growth negatively impact you and the culture of your team. There are ways to avoid or mitigate the growing pains and here at VYA we are here to help!

Not only because we’ve been there, but because we are now on the other side. We have not only helped our own company navigate those awkward growing pains, but we’ve helped many other businesses successfully navigate it—we KNOW we can help!