Deciding if Now is a Good Time to Recruit
Posted February 16th, 2011
With the economy showing signs of improving, many companies now are dusting off their recruiting strategies. Human resource managers are not feeling as strapped to promote from within. The sluggish demand for new hires is turning a corner, with economic indicators reporting stronger growth. Wages are up, while layoffs are slowing down. There is a greater sense of optimism in the workplace.
Yet this more favorable economy isn’t going unnoticed by top employees who are dusting off their résumés to get a feel for potential opportunities beyond their own doorsteps. This, of course, places additional pressure on companies to thwart an exodus of talent from their ranks.
Businesses are in a quandary about which direction to take: do they initiate an aggressive recruiting effort, or focus on developing employees from within? Either way, the bottom line is that a business is more likely to survive when it has top level employees regardless of where they come from.
If recruitment is the chosen goal, there are key issues to consider — from hiring the right candidates to monitoring their progress as they begin to work. Effective recruitment depends a great deal on how smooth and efficient the entire process progresses.
This all comes at a time when recruiting costs are rising and the time to fill positions is taking longer. One survey places the average time to fill a job vacancy in all industries at 53 days.
With change coming at an ever increasing pace and the business environment becoming more complex, businesses are well advised to maintain a strong employee training program. Effective training programs keep morale high, are motivating and, in the end, help profitability.
Still, there can be a down side. Ongoing training of key managers to stay at the top of their game makes them attractive to the competition seeking to recruit them for their own benefit.
It is a balancing act for sure, but one that is not likely to disappear very soon. It makes recruitment of new blood and retention of valued employees issues that deserve constant attention.
If you’re ready to develop a strategic staffing plan for your San Francisco-area firm, contact Bayside Solutions. We help Bay Area firms just like yours create efficient and cost effective staffing and recruiting plans. Contact us today!
