by Mary Cantando, Founder of The Woman’s Advantage, Guest Contributor

You need to get a lot done every day. And you can’t do it all yourself, but you don’t want to go overboard in hiring staff. What approaches can you use to continue to grow without worrying about being overstaffed?

Here are five things you might consider.

Five Ways to Grow with Minimum Staff

1. Start with solid job descriptions.

Be sure you include the ugly tasks as well as the pretty ones on each job description. Then, update your job descriptions every six months.

2. Hire individuals who can manage themselves.

These aren’t going to be the cheapest per-hour people on the market, but they will save you a lot of time, money and headaches in the long run.

3. Ensure everyone understands the goals of the business.

And, be sure they know how their individual activities drive those goals forward…how they are responsible for the success of the business.

4. Review the structure of your business on a regular basis.

Consider not only the individual employees, but the overall reporting and sales structure to see if there is a more efficient approach than you’re using.

5. Outsource.

Gone are the days when all the “important jobs” had to be on the payroll. Today’s smart businesses utilize contractors and vendors as key elements of business growth.