In a competitive business world, you can’t afford to fall behind on something that could have been prevented. If you find yourself short staffed during a busy period, it may be difficult to ever recover. But how can you predict your staffing needs before they appear? These strategies will help you stay ahead of your hiring needs and maintain optimum staffing year-round.
Predicting your hiring needs
1. Review your records
In every industry, busy seasons come in predictable patterns. Whether or not you are clued into these patterns depends on the quality of your record keeping and how much effort you put into reviewing them. When reviewing your business records, you’re not just looking for busy seasons; you also have to take note of times when your regular staff is most likely to be ill or away (such as summer vacations and flu season in the winter).
2. Follow the market
Most industries bear little resemblance to what they were even just a few decades ago. Today, industry-wide trends advance at an unprecedented rate, and they can dramatically influence your staffing strategy. Adopting new equipment, software or techniques may require temporarily taking on more staff, for example. On the other hand, such advancements may eventually allow you to operate with a leaner crew. Regardless, studying industry trends will help you stay ahead of your hiring needs.
3. Look inside your organization
A diverse team is capable of handling far more than their regular daily tasks. If you want to be ready for unexpected staffing needs, consider including your current team in the loop. Many will be eager to receive new training and tackle greater responsibilities. Whether you eventually see the need for a larger staff or not, investing in your core team will help you be prepared for what comes next.
4. Set realistic goals
When seeking to meet their hiring needs, many managers are frustrated by their own unrealistic goals. Aiming for a 0% turnover rate, for example, is both impossible and unhealthy. In reality, keeping your organization somewhat liquid – with regular movement in and out of your ranks – promotes new ideas and healthy growth. As such, you should try not to focus too heavily on one unsatisfactory metric.
5. Explore outside resources
No single hiring strategy can meet long-term, temporary, and emergency hiring needs to perfection. In order to diversify your hiring plan, look to outside agencies that can connect you with talented workers in your industry. Since staffing agencies specialize in crafting unique hiring strategies for diverse scenarios, their expertise will be crucial in guiding you through your hiring plan.
Need help hiring?
At Expert Staffing, we take pride in comprehensive staffing services. Specializing in industrial and healthcare staffing solutions, we are confident we will be able to meet your company’s unique needs. To learn more about your hiring options and connect with talented candidates in your area, contact us today.
