October is small business month in B.C., and with it comes the release of the provincial government’s annual “B.C. Small Business Profile”. Small business is defined as a business with fewer than 50 employees, or a business operated by a self-employed person with no paid help.
In 2007, small business made up 98 per cent of businesses in B.C. and employed over one million people. Between 2002 and 2007, the number of small businesses in B.C. grew by 8.8 per cent, and 56 per cent of B.C.’s private sector jobs are with small business, which is the highest rate in Canada.
In an article in the Vancouver Sun about this report, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business notes that with B.C.’s low unemployment rate and rising wages, small businesses need to offer more to attract employees as it becomes more difficult to find employees.
This reinforces the point that B.C. small business needs to continue to develop their attraction and retention practices in order to find and keep top talent. Contact Vancouver-based Clear HR Consulting for human resources expertise in developing HR policies and processes necessary for small businesses to attract and retain top talent.
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