Research Study Opportunity: Small Business Employees

Participate in a Study on Small Business Employment in Lancaster County! This is a limited research opportunity exploring why employees choose to work for small businesses.

If you are an adult employed by a small business in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, you may be eligible to participate in a research study that requires 45 minutes of your time. This study is being conducted as part of a doctoral program at Capella University.

Who Is Eligible?

To participate, you must:

Be at least 18 years of age
Be employed by a business with fewer than 10 employees in Lancaster County, PA
Have access to a computer and can use Zoom software

You are not eligible if:

You know me personally or have worked with me in the past
You are not proficient in English

About Participation

Each participant that completes the interview process will receive a $50 gift card as an incentive for participation. In addition, your input may help inform future strategies to improve hiring, retention, and overall workplace experiences within small businesses.

What to Expect

Click here to consent to the study
Provide basic information (e.g., age range, general location, and contact details)
If eligible, you will be contacted to schedule a 45 minute face-to-face virtual interview at your convenience
The interview will include nine open-ended questions about your experience working for a small business

Your participation is completely confidential and anonymous. You will not be asked to identify your employer or colleagues. Following the interview, you will receive a summary of your responses for review and approval. Participation is voluntary, and you may withdraw at any time for any reason.

Meet the Researcher

Kim Proud

APPEAL Researcher

I’m Kim Proud—a Lancaster County small business owner and PhD candidate in Industrial/Organizational Psychology at Capella University. After more than 30 years in business, I’ve had countless conversations with fellow small business owners and one challenge comes up again and again: finding, hiring, and keeping great employees. This study is part of my doctoral work and is really about learning from people like you. It’s a small but meaningful step toward building better, more practical strategies for small businesses. My hope is that, together, we can move toward solutions that make work better—for both employers and employees.