But Sharon M. Daniels, president and CEO of AchieveGlobal, a human resources consulting firm, cautions against that mindset. �The business reason is it�s hard to go out and expensive to recruit new talent,� she asserts. �And legally you can get yourself into trouble as an organization if managers aren�t appropriately handling these situations.� She also cites the impact on morale and productivity when there�s a revolving door of new workers. With that said, Daniels refers to a three-step process to determine if a problem employee can be re-focused for the betterment of the company.

Collect the background information. By information, Daniels means the first-hand facts, not happenstance or hearsay. �Really make certain that you truly understand the problem,� she says. �You have to go into this with the mindset that this individual has the opportunity to change.� Daniels cautions against going into the process with the intent to fire the employee after finishing a checklist. She says the confidence in leadership grows when they see management take consistent steps and going into it with a good, positive frame of mind. She also recommends making certain that you can articulate what the challenges are with the employee and how they�re impacting the business.

Have the conversation. This is where you demonstrate a lot of patience and good active listening by allowing the employee to share his or her perspective with you � why this may be happening, what training they might not have had, how they may have been informed differently about something that was a priority. �This is the step where you really create that partnership by listening to that person to truly understand what�s getting in the way from their perspective,� she says.

Put together an action plan. Once you�ve ensured the person is not in denial and they truly understand what the impact is, turn it into action by creating milestones. That will inform you if this person is a viable candidate to continue on in the role of it it�s time to part ways. �When you set out the plan you have to set out in your mind and agree with the employee what�s a fair time for this to manifest itself as improved or not improved.�

For about $25 to $50 an hour, those companies are finding the answer in virtual workers who require no health insurance, benefits, or office space. They typically work from their own homes – and with their own equipment – and collaborate with their clients via e-mail, video conference, instant message, phone, and fax. And while many people still associate virtual workers with “virtual assistants,” or VAs, today’s staffers provide a wider range of services that can include IT support and services, design work, engineering services, writing and copyediting, and the list goes on.

FINDING THE RIGHT CANDIDATE

To get the best match, Gayle Buske, CEO at virtual staffing provider Team Double-Click in Ouray, Colorado, advises business owners to first take a step back and figure out exactly what they want to delegate. “Journal your activities for a week or two,” Buske says. “Then go through and cross out everything that you can’t delegate. Outsource the rest to virtual workers.” A financial consultant, for example, probably couldn’t delegate client meetings, but could definitely farm out tasks like answering the phone, updating the company Website, and filing regulatory forms to a competent third party.

When selecting a VA, look for one who is already working in your industry, then ask questions to find out if you have a true match. For example, ask them how long they’ve used certain software programs, how many other companies they’ve worked with in your field, and in what capacity.

Get references that include both past and present clients, and call all of them for feedback. Don’t forget to check credentials, but also realize that a Graduate Virtual Assistant (GVA) or an International Virtual Assistants Association (IVA) membership status doesn’t necessarily mean a virtual worker is more qualified than the next.

DETERMINING THE NEED

The business owner who already has several full-time marketing, sales, and administrative employees — and who’s forced to cut costs in order to survive through the current economic crunch – will also do well by hiring virtual staffers. “You can go from paying someone for 40 hours a week plus benefits to only paying for what you need,” Buske says.

If you’ve never hired a virtual staffer before, be sure to “start slow” by first assessing your firm’s needs and resources, Buske says. Then, put out some feelers by contacting one or more virtual staffing agencies and by networking with other businesses (that might know of a talented worker who was laid off recently) to find good candidates.

Once you’ve found what you think is the right person, take a step-by-step approach to the relationship, rather than just “throwing everything at them” and expecting them to handle everything for you. “Start by giving the virtual worker a few things to do, and provide clear instructions on how you want the project(s) done,” Buske advises. “Then keep adding more tasks until you become comfortable working with each other.”

READY TO GO VIRTUAL?

If you answer yes to one or more of these questions, chances are good that your company will benefit from one or more virtual staffers:

–You need help on a per-project basis that doesn’t warrant a full- or part-time staff member

–You aren’t focusing on your core competencies (sales, consultations, client calls, etc.)

–You have limited space available in your office for additional staff members

–You are totally overwhelmed in your business and can’t keep up with the details

–You’re willing to delegate and give up some control over non-core tasks to an off-site assistant

–You’re a people person who doesn’t like hanging around the office doing paperwork

–You’re a new business owner who has experienced early success and is in need of assistance, but not ready to hire full-time help

–You don’t have the time to handle all of the necessary marketing tasks that need to be done at your company

–You’re not technology oriented, and would rather have someone else handle  tasks like updating accounting software, blogs and Web site content

–You know what needs to be done, but you just don’t have time to do it all

WEB RESOURCES

Directory of virtual staffing resources

Virtual workplace dos and don’ts

“I was talking to a college student, and they let me know that one of the local schools had a culinary program,” she recalls. “I thought, ‘That’s exactly what I need — someone who understands food presentation, food preparation, and food preservation.’”

But perhaps more importantly, the proposed solution offered someone who would be willing to work for less. DeBerry persuaded instructors to give students credit for working at Simply Salads, eliminating her need to pay the staff. She also added other employee incentives, such as free meals and discounts for friends and family. The plan worked so well that DeBerry is replicating it in Miami where she is opening her second restaurant later this year. In 2007, Simply Salads had sales of $52,000, so the 36-year-old entrepreneur anticipates increasing success.

As DeBerry discovered, one of the challenges small business owners face is hiring top talent with limited resources. However, by developing a strategy beforehand, there are ways to entice good workers to come on board:

Be flexible. Money is not the top priority for everyone. Some employees would rather have fewer or different hours and a better work-life balance. By being less rigid about scheduling and things such as the dress code, vacation time, telecommuting, among others, you may be able to get someone on board for less than the going rate.

Emphasize the vision. If you are passionate about your company and can articulate your plan for the future, whether it’s to make a difference in the community or to become the biggest company in your field, you may be able to convince someone to get in on the ground floor. Some people like small businesses and “get turned on by that kind of challenge,” says Dresdene Flynn-White, a business coach based in Alpharetta, Georgia. After all, with small businesses there is often plenty of room for growth and the opportunity to effect change.

WANT MORE INFO? CHECK OUT THESE BOOKS:
The Headcount Solution: How to Cut Compensation Costs and Keep Your Best People by N. Frederic Crandall (McGraw-Hill; $29.95)

The 24-Carrot Manager: A Remarkable Story of How a Leader Can Unleash Human Potential by Adrian Robert Gostick and Chester Elton (Gibbs Smith; $18.95)

Beyond 401(k)s for Small Business Owners: A Practical Guide to Incentive, Deferred Compensation, and Retirement Plans by Jean D. Sifleet (Wiley; $19.95)

Explore benifits. While you may not be able to pay for extensive benefits packages, you may be able to offer more than you think. Many companies have programs in which they share the costs of benefits with employees, or “the employee bears the total cost, but they’re able to get into a [lower-priced] group plan because they’re working under the umbrella of a company,” Flynn-White says. An employee benefits broker can explain your options.

Get creative. Structure the compensation you offer in a way that works for your business. For example, a low salary could be coupled with an incentive program or a commission-based system that rewards employees financially when the business does well. Flynn-White stresses that the ultimate goal in luring experienced employees is creating a win-win for all involved.

This story originally appeared in the June 2008 issue of Black Enterprise magazine.