Small Businesses Need More Attention from Politicians
Small businesses employ more Australians than any other business block, but they often receive less attention from politicians. This is partly due to the fact that small businesses are often fragmented and lack a unified voice.
One way to address this disconnect is to require every politician, federal and state, to spend a week a year working in a small business in their electorate. This would give them a firsthand experience of the challenges and opportunities facing small businesses.
The business should be chosen by random ballot to ensure that politicians do not choose businesses that are already aligned with their interests. The work should be paid so that politicians understand the value of the work and what it is like to live on a small business income.
I believe that this small business work experience program would help politicians to develop a more practical understanding of the economy and the challenges facing small businesses. It would also help them to connect with small business owners and their employees on a personal level.
I first shared this idea 10 years ago, in a post here, on this blog.
Small businesses are the backbone of the Australian economy, and they deserve more attention from politicians. Too many politicians do not understand the day to day challenges of working in and running a small business, and those who do probably are not heard when it comes to decision making.
Here are some specific ways in which a small business work experience program would benefit politicians:
- It would give them a better understanding of the day-to-day operations of a small business.
- It would help them to develop empathy for small business owners and their employees.
- It would make them more aware of the challenges and opportunities facing small businesses.
- It would help them to make better decisions about policies that affect small businesses.
I believe that a small business work experience program would be a win-win-win for politicians, small businesses, and, most important of all, the community. It would help politicians to better understand the needs of small businesses, and it would help small businesses to get their voices heard by politicians.