Why Most Brisbane Business Owners Struggle to Find Good People
If you’re running a trade business in Geebung, a café in Paddington, or a professional firm in the CBD, I’ll bet my last dollar that your biggest headache isn’t finding customers—it’s finding (and keeping) decent staff.
I hear it every week. "Nobody wants to work anymore," or "I train them up and then they leave for an extra two bucks an hour down the road."
Look, I get it. It’s frustrating. You’re trying to grow, but you’re stuck on the tools or behind the counter because your team keeps letting you down. But here is the blunt truth: If people are leaving you for a couple of dollars, or if the only people applying for your jobs are the ones who can’t hold down work elsewhere, you don’t have a "people" problem. You have a reputation problem.
In the marketing world, they call this "employer branding." For you and me, let’s just call it making your business a place where people actually want to show up.
This isn't about fancy mission statements or putting a ping-pong table in the break room. It’s about making sure that when a great sparky, bookkeeper, or shop manager is looking for a job, they choose you over the guy in the next suburb.
The Real Cost of a Bad Reputation
Before we dive into the "how-to," let’s talk about money. Most owners think "employer branding" sounds like an expensive luxury. It’s actually the opposite. Having a bad reputation as an employer is what’s costing you a fortune right now.
Think about the last time you had to hire someone. You paid for the Seek ad, you spent hours sorting through rubbish resumes, you did interviews after work when you should have been with your family, and then you spent three months training them—only for them to quit.
That’s thousands of dollars down the drain.
When you get this right, you get: 1. Better quality applicants: People who actually know what they’re doing. 2. Higher retention: Staff stay for years, not months. 3. Less stress: You can finally step back because you trust your team. 4. More profit: Good staff work faster, make fewer mistakes, and treat your customers better.
Step 1: Stop Being a Secret
If I go to your website or Facebook page right now, what do I see? If it’s just a list of services and a generic "Contact Us" button, you’re missing a massive trick.
Potential employees are going to stalk you online before they even send a resume. They want to see who they’ll be working for. We’ve worked with a landscaping business in Morningside that couldn't find a decent foreman for six months. We changed one thing: we put photos of the actual team on the site—having a laugh, finishing a big job, and grabbing a coffee.
They had three high-quality applications within two weeks.
People want to work for people, not logos. You need to decide if you want to be the face of your business or stay in the background, but whatever you choose, your business needs a personality. If your website looks like a cold, corporate template, don't be surprised if you only attract cold, uninspired workers.
Step 2: Show, Don’t Just Tell
You can tell people you’re a "great place to work" until you’re blue in the face. Nobody believes it. Every job ad says "great culture" and "supportive environment." It’s white noise.
Instead, show the results of being a good boss.
The Friday BBQ: Take a photo. It shows you actually appreciate your team. The New Van: Show off the gear your staff get to use. A tradie would much rather work for someone with clean, organized vans and top-tier tools than a guy with a beat-up 2005 ute. The Training: If you sent your receptionist on a course to learn new software, post about it. It shows you invest in your people.
When you sound like a pro in your public communications, you don't just win more jobs—you win more respect from potential employees. They see a professional outfit and think, "That looks like a place where I won't have to deal with total chaos every day."
Step 3: Fix Your Job Ads (They’re Probably Boring)
Most job ads are a list of demands: "Must have 5 years experience, must have own tools, must be punctual, must work weekends."
It sounds like a prison sentence.
Flip the script. A great job ad should sell the opportunity. Why should a high-performer leave their current job to come to you? Do you pay on time, every time? (You’d be surprised how many don't). Do you finish at 3:30 pm on Fridays so they can get to the pub or be with their kids? Do you have a clear path for them to become a manager?
Write your job ad for the person you want, not just the holes you need to fill. If you want a superstar, you have to offer a superstar environment.
Step 4: The "Referral" Secret Weapon
Your current staff are your best recruiters. If they love working for you, they’ll tell their mates.
I know a plumbing company in North Lakes that hasn't paid for a Seek ad in three years. Why? Because every time they need a new tech, they tell their current team: "Find us a good person, and if they stay six months, you get a $1,000 bonus."
It sounds like a lot of money, but compare that to the cost of a recruiter or a botched hire. It’s the cheapest marketing you’ll ever do. Plus, good people generally hang out with other good people.
Step 5: Treat Your Staff Like Your Best Customers
We talk a lot about how to talk to customers so they hire you, but do you put the same effort into how you talk to your team?
A huge reason people quit is because they feel invisible. They do a great job and hear nothing. They make one mistake and get a spray.
If you want a team that goes the extra mile, you have to show them that you notice. A simple "Great job on that site today, the client was wrapped" goes further than a $50 bonus ever will.
Quick Wins You Can Do This Week
1. Take 5 photos: Get your team together, smiling, on a job site or in the office. Put them on your "About Us" page and your Facebook page. 2. Update your "Join the Team" page: If you don't have one, make one. Explain what it's actually like to work for you. Mention the perks (even the small ones). 3. Ask your best employee for a testimonial: Ask them why they like working for you. Put that quote on your website. It’s incredibly powerful. 4. Google yourself: See what comes up. If there are bad reviews from ex-employees on Glassdoor or Google, you need to address them, not ignore them.
The Bottom Line
Building a great "employer brand" isn't about being fluffy. It’s about building a moat around your business so the big guys can’t steal your best people.
It takes time—usually 3 to 6 months before you see the quality of applicants really shift—but it’s the only way to stop the constant cycle of hiring and firing that keeps so many Brisbane business owners broke and stressed.
If you’re too busy running the business to worry about how you look to potential staff, that’s where we come in. At Local Marketing Group, we help Brisbane businesses look as professional as they actually are, so they can attract better customers and better staff.
Ready to stop being the best-kept secret in Queensland? Let’s chat.