Most businesses experience periods of economic down time. During these times, lots of employers cut back on staffing to save funds and stay in business. Unfortunately, prolonged understaffing can lead to a variety of issues that can greatly harm a small business. Company managers should be conscious of the problems that occur when the workforce is reduced so they can weigh the pros and cons of keeping their enterprise short-staffed.

Production Declines

The level of production in your company will naturally suffer when you employ fewer people than you normally do. Even the most proficient of workers are not going to be able to complete the amount of work that additional quality staff members are capable of doing. Managers can help lessen ensuing problems with production by increasing work hours of the present staff and working on ways to streamline work processes.

Errors Increase

Mistakes are going to increase if your company remains short-staffed for an extended period. Workers are going to tire under the extra burdens put upon them, and fatigue causes errors. Management will have to work more closely with their staff and set up an effective quality-check system to catch problems before they reach the sales floors. If this does not happen, customers will quickly become dissatisfied with your services or products and might move their business to a competing company.

Staff Resentment

Small-business owners who refuse to fully staff their enterprises will eventually face resentment from their workers. Most employees are willing to pull together in times of emergency to do what has to be done to keep a business afloat, but too long a time without additional help wears on their nerves and tempers. Expect to encounter more conflicts than usual between management and workers and between peers. The stress level of employees increases over time due to the situation, which makes for an uncomfortable work atmosphere.

Pressure on Management

The effects of understaffing on management can be overwhelming. Supervisors must attempt to satisfy a multitude of people, including their workers, customers, investors and themselves. A small-business employer has to prioritize work projects, mediate disputes with staff, vendors and clients, and delegate all the responsibilities that would normally be assigned to additional workers. Staying on budget while attempting to become solvent or maintain profitability can become too much for many small-business professionals.