Creating a Pipeline
The first staffing strategy is going to be creating a pipeline of qualified candidates. Most companies that experience business growth and expansion will be forced to make quick staffing decisions. For example, your company has just landed a major account that you have been pushing to get, which is very exciting! However, do you have the staffing resources in place that you need to get the job done? Building a pipeline of qualified candidates ahead of time will help you avoid making the snap hiring decisions that you may later come to regret.
It is important to remember that sustaining the growth of your company takes time to learn and perfect – you should not expect to hire the perfect candidate in every instance. Some level of turnover is natural and normal, however solid pipelines can help you stay on track and keep up your level of growth.
Assess Current Employees
In order to determine exactly what is needed in your pipeline, it is important to analyze your current staff – are you going to be able to promote from within? Looking at your own staff requires a realistic analysis of their skill sets. Can you see that certain employees who, if they were promoted or given additional responsibilities, would not only thrive but succeed in helping the business achieve the growth that it is looking for? Promoting internally not only saves hiring costs but also boosts employee morale and work ethic.
All staffing strategies should include a comprehensive plan to enrich and educate your current staff members. Make sure that you have a plan in place to educate them that will in turn make them more valuable assets for your company. Looking at and seeing if they qualify for any certifications would be a great way to increase their value for you.
Get Help From a 3rd Party
If you feel like these strategies may be overwhelming to you, utilizing the services of a staffing firm can offer safety and flexibility. Using temporary or temp-to-hire employees can give your business a more fluid staffing situation. Ensuring candidates are able to successfully handle the position and positively contribute to the work environment is so important. Equally important is doing everything in your power to avoid a bad hire.
A staffing firm takes away a lot of the headaches, energy and time that go into recruiting. Oftentimes, they will handle the application process, interviewing, screening, and salary negotiation. This guarantees that you are able to get your staffing needs addressed quickly and efficiently so you are able to get on with growing your business.
In any of these strategies, businesses need to plan ahead and formulate a staffing plan. By gaining a strong understanding of the financial state of your business, what you’re currently capable of, and your realistic business goals based on the long-term prospects for your industry, you will get a sense of which strategy will serve you best for moving forward.