Hey fellow small business hustlers!

Let’s be real. You’re juggling a million things, right? From making sure the lights stay on to keeping customers happy, and oh yeah, trying to build an amazing team. We all know the drill: you post a job, maybe get a few bites, hire someone, and then… sometimes they leave. And the whole cycle starts again. Sound familiar?

I’ve been there, both as an HR pro and a small business owner myself. And I’ve learned something super important that can actually make a huge difference in attracting and keeping those awesome employees you need to thrive.

It boils down to this: purpose.

Now, I know what you might be thinking. “Purpose? I’m just trying to make a living here!” And trust me, I get it. But stick with me for a second.

Think about why you started your business. Was it just to make money? Probably not entirely. Maybe you wanted to solve a problem, create something cool, or share your passion with the world. That’s your mission, what you do.

But purpose? That’s the deeper “why.” It’s about the impact you want to have. It’s the reason your business exists beyond just the bottom line.

Let’s take a simple example. Say you own a small bakery that makes the most incredible sourdough. Your mission is to bake and sell high quality, amazing bread. But your purpose could be something like: “To bring moments of simple joy and connection to our community through delicious, handcrafted food.” See the difference?

So, how does this “purpose” thing help with hiring and keeping great people?

It’s pretty straightforward: people want to feel like their work matters. Especially these days, folks are looking for more than just a paycheck. They want to contribute to something bigger than themselves.

Think about it. If you’re hiring someone to work the counter at your bakery, which job ad sounds more appealing?

Option A: “Counter Help Wanted: Must have customer service skills and handle cash efficiently.”

Option B: “Join our team and help us bring moments of joy to our community by sharing our delicious, handcrafted bread!”

Which one makes you feel a little more… inspired? Exactly!

When you highlight your purpose in your job postings, you’re going to attract candidates who are actually excited about what you do and the impact you make. They’re not just looking for any old job; they’re looking to be part of something they believe in.

And it doesn’t stop at attracting talent. Once you’ve found those enthusiastic employees, your purpose becomes a powerful tool for retention.

How? By weaving it into their day-to-day work.

• During training: Talk about the “why” behind what you do. Explain how their role contributes to that bigger picture.
• In daily interactions: Remind your team of the positive impact they’re having on customers. Show them how everything they do contributes to the joy factor your company is about. Share stories and customer feedback you have received that highlight the purpose in action.
• During evaluations: Connect their performance not just to tasks, but also to how they’re contributing to the overall purpose and success of the company.

When your team understands the “why” behind their work – when they feel like they’re contributing to something meaningful – they’re more likely to be engaged, motivated, and stick around.

For us small business owners, this is huge. We often can’t compete with the big guys on fancy perks or huge salaries. But what we can offer is a sense of purpose, a feeling of being part of something real and impactful.

So, what’s your “why”? Take some time to really think about it. Once you nail it down, start sharing it – in your hiring, with your team, and with your customers. You might be surprised at the difference it makes.

What are your thoughts? How does purpose play a role in your small business?

Need help figuring it all out? I am here for you, just drop me an email. [email protected]

This is a contributed blog post by Myra Quick, founder of Fast Forward Learning and Development. Myra’s extensive HR experience and passion for training was the launch pad for the company. Her goal was to improve the effectiveness of the workforce, by helping people find the role best suited to their strengths and providing the professional development and knowledge they needed to succeed. She knew that to be effective, development programs had to be concise, informative, engaging, and relevant to today’s workplace. So, in 2018 Fast Forward Learning and Development was established.

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