Small business owners’ mood brightened in August, according to the National Federation for Independent Businesses’ optimism index, which ticked up on expectations of higher sales. But concerns about labor persist. 

Small business owners reported the top challenge they’re facing is finding quality help.

Private Eye Protection is a small security company in Duluth, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta. It’s pretty much always hiring. 

“I mean, we tend to see a good flow of candidates. Finding the right candidates is challenging,” said owner Jim Jones.

The firm employs about 60 full-time and 20 part-time security guards, but Jones would like to grow that roster — and his business. 

“You’ve gotta have a focus on attentiveness, reliability. Showing up on time and things like that,” he said. “Finding individuals in the talent pool that we operate in can be challenging at times.”

With starting wages in the teens, Jones is competing with the service industry for quality workers. 

But things aren’t totally rosy there, either. 

“There are some things we’ve had to add to training to get people to be more guest-focused,” said Rose Ann Garza. She heads up HR at Kerbey Lane Cafe, a small chain of diners based in Austin, Texas. 

“It’s the little things like teaching them to make eye contact, to make small talk. None of that is a thing that anyone really comes in with,” she said.

Garza said that’s in part because the market for restaurant workers has gotten really competitive. And Kerbey Lane is hiring more teenagers than ever. 

On the bright side, she said, the experienced workers she does employ have been sticking around for longer stretches.