How to find and retain the best talent with the required skills, personality and ethos to fit with your company is a challenge for any business.
But in Norfolk and Suffolk where there is a smaller pool to choose from it requires innovative thinking from small firms.
As well training up junior roles in-house hotel business Cameron Group has targeted a different profile of workers to bolster its ranks as it grows.
Managing director Brian Keane said: 'We have also gone back to the market and really recruited at the 50+ age group to give that second opportunity for development.
'The key point is within the regions we are in there is a small pool with the same skill set and there is demand for their availability.'
The group also offers a package, including discounts on shopping, fuel costs and leisure activities, to employees to help their salary go further.
Victoria Sharp, managing director of Avanti Group, said it was always difficult to find experienced accountants to join the team. She said: 'We have looked at different recruitment options, whether they are recruitment agencies, advertising or social media marketing, so that we can reach a bigger pool of candidates.
'We have also looked at apprenticeships and trainees, we can take them on and encourage them to work up the ladder.
'Once someone gets to a senior level we launched our franchise opportunity, they can do that and still have the support we can provide.'
University of East Anglia (UEA) experts say there has been a move away from the relentless drive for efficiency in recent years with businesses seeing the value in keeping employees happy.
Prof Kevin Daniels, professor of organisational behaviour at UEA, said: 'Happier people are more creative, more innovative so that is adding to a sense of continuous improvement in the workplace.
'But also when people are happy with themselves they tend to be more cooperative.'
This is the first in a monthly series which will examine the issues which are important to SMEs and our Future50 businesses.
If there is a subject you would like us to cover in this section write to businessdesk@archant.co.uk
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