When You Need Someone. Now.
Growinga company is a tricky business, isn’t it, no pun intended? Sometimes we getinspired and see things that could increase revenue or improve customersatisfaction…and then it becomes a matter of how to get it done.
Hiringmore and more employees is not always the answer. You may not be able toincrease or broaden the workload of any one person, but you can always bring insomeone on a special but limited project. Temps, business specialists, writers,programmers all offer solutions when a need is seasonal or just being tried onfor size. They don’t require benefits. They don’t complicate your books. Theywaft in like a fresh breeze, and you reap the benefits of their expertise on alimited basis.
Sometimesyou can look internally for the help you need. Redividing the workload cancreate space in one person’s day for a new project. It helps your staff feelvalued, like their accomplishments have been appreciated. They already know thealchemy of the company and need less orientation. You broaden the skill sets ofyour people and it’s a win/win.
How doyou decide whether to bring someone on board or to create space or a newproject from within your staff? I looked to a firm specializing in temps tohelp answer that question. ZipRecruitersuggests you look at several important points:
Will it save money?
Will it allow you to focus on your businesswithout having to train someone to fill the bill?
Will it reduce stress within the workplace?
Does it offer an advantage in networking withother businesses?
Does it allow for maximum flexibility?
Answer these questions, and you may know exactly what youneed to do. An outside is your best bet. Before making any decision, make sureyou are ready to broach the topic. Write your expectations out very clearly.Know what you are looking for. Describe the type of personality which willcomplement your current staff.
Visit with others in the Chamber and get the perspective of people who have been in your shoes. A recent SHRM publication looked at trends, and cited that 66% of hires in 2013 were external, while only 26% were handled internally. This trend continues, fueled by the pandemic and fluctuating changes in the marketplace.
If youwant to rearrange your current staff, look at existing skill sets. You may notrealize that your cashier is a budding artist with an eye for displays. Alurking writer may be underutilized. Some job descriptions overlap and could berestructured. I once worked in an emergency room, but saw there was a cryingneed for help in the operating room. I cross-trained and worked in both areasfor a while, and ultimately chose one over the other. The flexibility withinyour company to learn new skills and become more valuable to the organizationis a great way to improve not just the matrix of your team, but itseffectiveness as well.
Uncertaintyis probably what most of us are feeling right now. World and business trendsleave us feeling unsettled. In the midst of it, the company must move forward.Make the right decision and prosper!