This is a guest post by Craig Keolanui of SmBizSuccessTeam. To read more from Craig, visit his blog.

Today’s slowly moving economy has made many small business owners have second thoughts about hiring any new help. Many businesses are starting to experience more growth, which inadvertently puts extra stress on an already thin staff. Following over two years of adjustments, staffing levels are at all time lows and many businesses are now finally starting to look for some relief.

Part-time help makes sense. If your company has experienced slow growth, you might remain fearful about the effect hiring will have on your bottom line. Adding part-time help can alleviate some of that stress by helping out where needed without adding the extra cost of a full-timer to your payroll.

• Part-time help allows you to plug holes in the schedule and gives added flexibility.
• Part-time help is cheaper in State and Federal taxes and benefits.
• Part-time help usually costs less per hour.
• Just like using a temp, you can always offer a part-time person a full-time position if they work out and your business keeps growing.
• There has never been a better time to find highly qualified applicants in the part-time workforce pool.

Part-time employees are no longer minimum wage misfits. There are many things to worry about when considering part-time employees, but rest them aside and watch as the part-time workforce continues to evolve.

• Many part-time employees are more experienced and educated. Many American workers have been displaced from careers (experience); and others are going to school in order to broaden employment opportunities (more education). This leaves a workforce that is highly skilled and willing to accept part-time work.
• Part-time employees are willing to give more than the job requires, if they see room for advancement. Many qualified applicants are willing to do whatever it takes to get a foot in the door. Why not let that door be yours? Part-time employees care and many treat a part-time job as full-time and continue to work or think about work after hours.
• Part-time employees typically accept lower wages in order to fit the job into their current schedule. Providing a flexible schedule is a great exchange for an out-of-work professional to take a part-time job that offers less than their profession would normally pay.

What about going with a temp? Everyone knows temporary help can get you through the extra work load without the worry of adding a permanent salary. However, it is costly and you can avoid the frequent learning curve required with temps. Save the commission you’d be paying and hire part-timers with different specialties, so you can get the best for less.

Either way you look at it, part-time help can no longer be ignored and should be revisited. There are plenty of professionals out there chomping at the bit to just get the opportunity to get in your door. Now is the right time to consider letting one of them in.