The economy is tough, and many companies are finding themselves short-staffed. If you’re one of those companies looking for new employees, consider hiring teenagers! They may be inexperienced, but they have plenty of potential.
More than ever before, it’s important that businesses find creative ways to cut costs without cutting corners on quality.
One way to do this is by hiring young people who need the work and want to learn new skills! Hiring an intern or two can save your business money in the long run – so why not give them a chance?
Here are some tips to make your experience with teen workers a good one
1 Don’t let inexperience intimidate you
Many people are concerned that teenagers don’t have the adequate skills needed to get the job done.
This is not true! In fact, most young employees will try harder than anyone else because they genuinely want to make a good impression and stand out from their peers.
If anything, they’ll surprise you with how quickly they adapt and learn new things on the job.
If you’re still skeptical about hiring teen workers but need help in your workplace, consider hiring an intern instead of a full-time employee for now.
In this way, it’s easier for them to adjust and learn the ropes while helping your company cut down on costs simultaneously!
2 Don’t set your expectations too high
A lot of new and inexperienced employees can be really nervous about starting a job. Put yourself in their shoes – you’re probably still pretty intimidated by the idea of working for someone else, let alone leading or managing others!
So before hiring teenagers to work for you, don’t expect them to know everything right off the bat.
Give them time and space to learn on the job; they’ll eventually pick up on things as long as you give them chances and opportunities along the way.
3 Pay them fairly
I know this sounds like a no-brainer, but trust me, I’ve seen it happen before. One time my friend wanted to hire an intern for her company because she needed help with something essential – so what did she do?
She offered the full-time internship pay even though all the other interns at her workplace were getting paid way more than that!
It’s easy to make these kinds of mistakes when you’re new at hiring teenagers, especially if they are not experienced workers themselves yet.
You may be tempted to tell yourself, “They’ll learn,” or “This is good enough,” but don’t settle for anything less than what you would expect from any employee who works hard and does their job well.
Be fair and pay them accordingly, and they’ll respect you for it! If you agree with the idea of paying your employees fairly, then why not make it easier for them by encouraging them to get a teen debit card for handling a first paycheck?
Teenage workers will appreciate having their own money, and they’ll learn how to budget and spend responsibly.
You can automate the teen’s paychecks by using paycheck software to manage and organize payments.
4 Let them take on more responsibilities
Let’s be honest here; teenagers are restless. Many of them want to stop wasting time and go out there and start doing things for themselves!
You can help motivate your teenage employees by giving them tasks that will make their job enjoyable and contribute directly to the company’s bottom line.
This way, they’ll feel like a part-time entrepreneur instead of someone who works at an office all day!
It may seem risky at first because teenagers don’t always think before taking action, but if you give them enough chances to prove themselves as valuable workers, you won’t regret it.
5 Let them have a say
I know this sounds like the most basic advice you can get, but there are still companies out there who don’t give their employees enough chances to voice opinions and suggestions about how things should be done.
One thing that separates teenagers from adults is that teens tend to experience everything with an open mind; if given the opportunity, they’ll surprise you by coming up with some creative ideas of their own along the way!
It doesn’t matter if your company only has ten people working for it or hundreds – make sure everyone feels included when making business decisions because all feedback (including theirs) will help improve work quality over time.
6 Give them Something Interesting to do
Give teenagers something interesting to do when they first start working with you. This way, they’ll have a reason to stay with your company in the future!
As discussed earlier, teens like earning money of their own accord more than anything else; if there’s no motivation behind the job then chances are good that they won’t stick around for long periods of time after getting paid minimum wage or less.
7 Keep them Engaged
It can be hard to keep teenagers interested and engaged in the workplace, so you must offer them a few perks. For example, let them listen to their favorite music or spend lunch with friends while they work! Having fun at your company isn’t a bad thing – as long as your employees get all of their tasks done, too.
8 Hire Teenagers Who Need the Money
Hiring teens isn’t an exercise in charity – it’s a financial investment, and you need to ensure that you employ teenagers who are motivated to produce the best results.
If your new employees don’t have bills or school expenses to worry about, they may not be as eager (or dependable) when the going gets tough.
Conclusion
Remember it’s not all about keeping your company productive every minute of every day (though that is important) but more so making sure everyone feels valued and like they’re doing something worthwhile with their lives each day.
If you can do this, your company will remain productive and even at times when everyone feels overworked or underappreciated! Employing a teenager will give them a great opportunity to learn new skills and grow while reaping the benefits for your business.
Ellie Lott is a Senior Content Writer at www.youngandinvested.net.
