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Small businesses are the lifeblood of this country. They employ over 61 million people in the U.S., comprising nearly half of the private sector jobs. In a country where almost every issue is polarizing, most Americans (86%) agree that small businesses have a positive effect on the way things are going in the country these days, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey.
For small businesses to truly survive and thrive, they need the ability to hire and retain a quality workforce. In today’s competitive job market, small businesses are competing not only against larger companies – they’re also competing with the gig economy which offers employees a magnitude of flexibility from their workplace, work schedule, and also the frequency of their pay.
The stakes remain high for winning and retaining talent, especially for small businesses that have mostly customer-facing roles. Longer-tenured employees drive customer loyalty and can separate you from competitors. A familiar face can be the difference between a positive customer experience and a poor one. Veteran employees leverage experience to handle customer service challenges and save a sale. When it comes to the bottom line, the impact is even higher: recruiting can be a back-breaking expense