Cost Of Staff

[Robert Frost]

I want to support the local unemployed and plan to offer jobs to them, however, some of the applicants so far have been, well for want of something better to describe it, a waste of space. Some of them have un-realistic salary expectations, and others really don't want the job. I know that I could employ cheaper staff from abroad and I am starting to think this may be an idea. If I can staff locally I will, but I am not sure.

What do you think? Would you try and staff locally or would you go cheaper?

 

[Gemma Rowlands]

I would try for local staff first, but at the end of the day you have to think about your business and what is best for it. If you feel as though you need to hire cheaper staff then do - you're still giving somebody a job who might not have had one if it weren't for you, and that is something that you can be proud of.

 

[Pete Brindle]

From the point of view of someone with a new business: get who you can afford, but make sure they're able to do the job. If you want to hire locals, this can come with time, but you need to take care of yourselves first to give you the chance to build and grow as a company. Don't let ethics get in the way of profits (nothing too drastic obviously, you know what I mean) and the time will come for you to change your ideas as you develop.

 

[Mike Turner]

I tried to do this but there were people willing to accept less that applied that weren't local and unfortunately at the time I couldn't afford to be paying more than I had to just to massage my ego. So yeah I hired non locals. But it really doesn't matter as long as they're the best for your business.

 

[Pete Brindle]

But it really doesn't matter as long as they're the best for your business.

This is the most important thing here. In this whole thread, really. When you first open a business SUCCESS is the most important thing. Think about what the BUSINESS needs, and then when that's sorted you can stop to consider what the TOWN needs, or wherever it is that your business is based. Ultimately it's far too competitive to be paying more than you need to, and pretty much every penny of the profits that you make are going to count towards whether you're viable or not.