Unlocking talent for growth: What small businesses need to hire with confidence

Hiring should be a moment of growth for a small business. Yet the latest Talent Hub report, Unlocking talent for growth, shows that many founders still see recruitment as risky, complex and under-supported.

Below is a quick take on the findings – and what they mean for micro and small firms across the UK.

Confidence to hire is low – training is the missing piece

• Only 33% of small businesses feel confident to hire again, even though around half have hired before.

• The single biggest barrier is access to training – 75% say a lack of adequate training resources is holding them back from recruiting and retaining staff.

• Another 25% report difficulty finding candidates with the right skills.

Leaders from across the ecosystem echo this picture. Enterprise Nation's chief operating officer Polly Dhaliwal highlights the "leap into the unknown" many founders feel when hiring without in-house HR.

Partners Employment Hero and Indeed point to the need for practical tools that level the playing field for smaller employers.

The hiring landscape has changed – fast

Work patterns and role profiles are shifting:

• 45% of opportunities are now hybrid, which can widen the talent pool but also complicate matching – particularly for younger candidates still building workplace experience.

• Digital-first roles are on the rise. TikTok presenters, AI specialists and e-commerce assistants are replacing traditional admin positions as customer acquisition and operations move online.

One real-world example is Secret Halo, an independent brand run by founder Lizzie Heyes. Lizzie recently hired a TikTok live-stream presenter – a niche role blending on-camera confidence with sales and brand storytelling. It's a calculated risk, but one tied directly to revenue growth.

What small firms are looking for

From more than 10,000 small-business interactions on Talent Hub, these skill areas stand out:

• Marketing: 35%

• Social media management: 28%

• E-commerce expertise: 25%

And it's not just hard skills – 40% of businesses struggle to find candidates with the right mix of technical and soft skills.

Mind the policy gap

The report reviewed national programmes – Local Skills Improvement Plans, Skills Bootcamps, the Digital Skills Council – and found that many micro firms fall through the cracks due to restrictive eligibility and low awareness.

The net effect: help exists, but the smallest employers often can't access it when they need it most.

What this means for founders right now

1. Invest in training, not just hiring. If capability is your biggest constraint, build it – internally or via funded programmes and partner resources.

2. Hire for digital impact. Roles that move the needle on acquisition (social, content, e-commerce) or efficiency (automation/AI) are delivering outsized returns for small firms.

3. Design for flexibility. Hybrid is now standard. Be explicit about outcomes, communication rhythms and tools to widen your candidate pool without sacrificing performance.

4. Balance skills. Look for candidates who pair technical knowhow with soft skills – communication, adaptability and problem-solving – to thrive in lean teams.

5. Use targeted support. Centralised guidance saves time and reduces risk. Talent Hub exists to demystify hiring for micro businesses – so you don't have to figure it out alone.

How Talent Hub is helping

Launched by Enterprise Nation with support from Employment Hero and Indeed, Talent Hub is built for founders without HR teams. Since 2024 it has:

• facilitated over 5,000 successful matches between businesses and talent

• prioritised remote/flexible roles and youth employment

• had nearly 14,000 visits, while its resources have been viewed almost 70,000 times –signalling strong demand for practical hiring help

What you get inside Talent Hub: a quick diagnostic, a personalised dashboard and curated webinars, guides and live sessions – plus connections to advisers who can support you through every step from writing a job description to onboarding.

Ready to build your team?

Download the full Unlocking talent for growth report for more insights. 

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