In the waves of economic stress that have rippled through the nation following the pandemic, staffing has become a high risk factor for small business owners, especially child care business owners. Now more than ever, staffing is an integral component of the child care business model. Without the necessary staffing in place, other components of your business operations may be put at risk. Taking the necessary steps to actively recruit and retain your staff will help protect the financial and operational well-being of your business and provide you time and money for your business.  

Creating a Three-Part Job Announcement 

When recruiting new staff, you may want to consider having both a job description and a job announcement for the position you are filling. The job description defines the job and the minimum requirements for the position. It functions like your contract with the employee by letting them know the important things that somebody who does this job needs to know or be able to do. The full job description provides a lot of details that, while relevant, may not be necessary to explain upfront.  

A job announcement, on the other hand, serves a different purpose. The role of the job announcement is to present to prospective applicants, “Here’s why you should come work with us.” It is more about creating a document that not only tells a person about the job but also explains to them why they should want to work for you. Think of it as trying to sell the job to an individual. To attract top talent, it is well worth the effort to take time to craft a high-quality job announcement. In his book, Lean Recruitment, Gary Romano, CEO of Civitas Strategies recommends a three-part job announcement comprised of three main sections called the “why, what, and how.” 

Part 1: The “Why” 

In the first section of your job announcement, you will want to explain the “why” — why an individual should choose your organization as their place of employment. This doesn’t have to be lengthy — maybe five or six sentences — but you want to convey the qualities about your business will make a prospective employee want to take that step into the unknown and come work for you. Consider these questions when building your “why:” 

1. How do you stand apart as an employer?  

2. Is your workplace a fun environment?  

3. Is it an opportunity to help children who need your services the most?  

4. What inspires you and your current employees about working at your business?  

5. What is exciting about it?  

6. What do employees get out of being a part of this organization?  

This is also where you will want to include your basic business information such as where you are located, your neighborhood, and what is nearby. 

Part 2: The “What” 

In the next section, you will want to talk about the “what.” This section says what skills and capabilities are most essential for success in the position. However, be sure to keep it brief. Research shows that the more skills and capabilities you include in your job announcement, the less likely somebody is to really assess it and apply. They begin to see all the things that they can’t do rather than the ones they can. So, keep this section to the seven or eight critical items that you feel are paramount to their success in the position. 

Part 3: The “How” 

In your final section, you will include the “how.” This section outlines how prospective applicants apply for the position. Consider what information is essential to have when considering a candidate, for example: 

• Do you need a copy of their registry certificate when they apply? 

• Proof of other certifications such as CPR?  

• Should an application be submitted via email or an online form? 

Think about what will give you all the information you need as you review this candidate, and give them an opportunity for success by providing them with as much information as possible.  

As you are drafting your announcement, don’t hesitate to look for inspiration from online job sites. It is often a great idea to see what other announcements for child care providers in your area, or even across the nation, are highlighting as important “whys” and “whats.” This is a great way to understand how things are being discussed or communicated currently in the market. If you’ve created your business plan, you may want to use that as a helpful reference point. 

Finding Talent 

So now that you have your job announcement, how do you get it into the hands of the people that you want to hire? Most people start with posting the job announcement online at sites such as Indeed or on local job boards.  Using social media and state-wide and national professional associations is another approach to getting the word out. Let your current staff know of your hiring search and let word-of-mouth assist you. This along with other more active approaches can expand your search and ensure that your announcement makes it into the hands of more applicable and capable candidates. Use your local small business network, or your own person network to publicize your hiring search. These are folks like your friends, your current employees, and the families that you currently serve. It can be really important to let them know that you are actively hiring because they can serve as your most effective connectors. Another useful group of connectors can be other professionals in the child care field. Reach out to mentors or other business owners that you respect and trust as they can support you from a place of mutual understanding.  

Top Retention Strategies 

Staff Bonuses & Temporary Pay Increases 

As we enter the post-pandemic job world, we are seeing every indication that securing top talent is going to be highly competitive. This may be a time when you want to consider bonuses and incentives for new hires. Bonuses can reward outstanding work ethic or high performance for a particular period, and hiring incentives could be structured so that a new hire would have to pay back their hiring bonus, should they leave your organization in less than six months. You can also offer incentive pay and say that for a period of time, like for the first three months, you will pay a slightly higher rate to get talent into your organization. 

The same can be true for your existing employees. What you don’t want to create is wage compression, which occurs when you start hiring new people at a higher rate of pay because there’s so much competition in the labor market. This can leave your existing employees, who have been loyal to you for years, making much less than incoming employees. In this situation, you may want to consider specific employee retention initiatives. For those who remain employed at your organization for a certain amount of time, you can offer incentives like temporary wage increases or bonuses. 

Staff Benefits 

While compensation is likely the number one factor when someone chooses to enter and stay in a job, benefits are also a critical piece of their decision. 

There are many reasons why you should offer benefits. Here are a few of them: 

• Benefits improve staff satisfaction which aids in increased staff retention. Happy and healthy employees are more engaged employees! 

• Benefits make the employer more competitive in a tight labor market. This is what could separate you from another program offering similar pay. 

• Benefits let staff know that they are valued and that you’re supportive of their needs. The pandemic has brought on different needs and considerations for employees, and they need a place of work that can meet those needs. 

Providing benefits does not have to be an all-or-nothing concept. Different benefits can be offered with varying price points - some may be little to no cost, and some may be more significant, but even small increases can make a big difference in a tight labor market. Most importantly, you want to be sure that regardless of what is being offered, your employees can: 

1. See the value in the benefits being offered 

2. Easily understand what their benefits are 

3. Easy access and take advantage of available benefits 

You may be wondering where to start and what your options are. While this is not a complete list, here are some of the common benefits that a company can offer employees: 

• Paid Time Off (PTO) 

• Health Insurance 

• Retirement 

• Supplemental Insurance (including Employee Assistance Programs) 

• Tuition Assistance and Staff Development 

• Child Care 

To learn more about these offerings, you can begin by researching traditional insurance providers. You may find that your existing payroll company, other online payroll service providers like Gusto or Zenefits, can provide you with certain benefits. There are also Professional Employer Organizations, and other platforms for collaboration, such as your local chamber of commerce, that may offer other ways to provide benefits for your staff, or discounts to do so.  

Outside of offering company-sponsored health insurance, you can still support your employees on an individual basis in accessing low-cost or free health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace. Ensure that employees are aware of what they may qualify for and facilitate a connection for them to work with a free Health Care Navigator who can walk them through their options. Learn about more affordable health care options. 

Reducing Stress in your Workforce 

While benefits are a major factor in a new employee deciding to work for your business, it is important to value their whole well-being after hiring. Reducing stress among your staff can be a major contributor in reducing burnout and turnover in your organization. Learn how to recognize stress through behavioral changes or changes in mood or effort. Some changes in behavior may include: 

• Displays irritation, anger, or denial that they're even upset. 

• Appearing uncertain, anxious, or nervous. 

• Express feeling tired, overwhelmed, that they aren’t motivated. 

• Communicate that they are “burnt out”. 

• Reports of trouble with sleeping or focusing. 

• Appear sad or depressed. 

As soon as these behaviors begin to manifest themselves in your workforce, address them as quickly as possible through some simple low or no cost options. 

1. Checking in with Staff: Regularly talk with your staff members and encourage them to talk with each other to identify signs of stress and offer suggestions on reducing it. Encourage supportive connections both in and outside the workplace to help staff stay positive. 

2. Workday Changes: Implement regular schedules, encourage staff to take breaks, and build in group relaxation activities to reduce stress during the workday. Encourage your team to take paid time off when possible, even though it may be challenging due to understaffing. 

3. Incentives and Rewards: Provide simple, cost-effective gestures like pizza parties or gift cards, and offer opportunities for staff to learn and improve their education. 

4. Times Outside of Work: Suggest that staff take breaks from the news, emphasize consistent home schedules that include time with family and outdoors, and encourage them to continue hobbies or other activities they enjoy to help relieve stress.  

Conclusion 

While staffing challenges are apparent in businesses across the board, child care providers acutely feel the difficulty of not having quality staff to support their business. Using the tips, tools and information provided in this resource, you are now equipped to hiring new staff effectively and retain your staff for a long time. Paying attention to your staff needs, just as you would the needs of your clients, will be key in the success and longevity of your business.   

DEVELOPED AND DESIGNED BY CIVITAS STRATEGIES 

Content included in this guide has been adapted from Lean Recruitment: Finding Better Talent Faster (2017), by Gary Romano and Alison LaRocca. 

Disclaimer: The information contained here has been prepared by Civitas Strategies on behalf of the New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department, WESST, and Growing Up New Mexico and is not intended to constitute legal, tax, or financial advice. The Civitas Strategies team has used reasonable efforts in collecting, preparing, and providing this information, but does not guarantee its accuracy, completeness, adequacy, or currency. The publication and distribution of this information is not intended to create, and receipt does not constitute, an attorney-client or any other advisory relationship. Reproduction of this information is expressly prohibited. Only noncommercial uses of this work are permitted.

Copyright © 2024 Civitas Strategies, LLC