Why the Start of the Year Is the Best Time to Reevaluate Your Staffing Needs

The beginning of the year is an ideal moment for a fresh look at staffing requirements. Reevaluating your staffing plan early is the best way to align your hiring strategies with your annual business goals. In turn, this can set you up for success by ensuring that you have the right talent to meet upcoming demands. Here is what you need to know.

Benefits of a New Staffing Plan

The new year brings a fresh start. You’ve doubtless met with your management team to set new goals and objectives. You’ve closed out the books on the year gone by, and you have both time and budget for your latest ideas. Preparing for the year’s staffing from the start will help to minimize last-minute hiring frenzies. A good staffing plan can help you with:

  • Targeted retention. Who is the most likely to leave? What strategies would help you retain them? Should you offer new training programs or lateral transfers or higher compensation?
  • Strategic recruiting. Which teams will need to add staff members this year? What specific skills and experience should you look for? How can you attract top candidates for those roles?
  • Succession planning. Is anyone planning to retire this year? Who will fill their role? If you will promote from within, do you need to replace the person who moves up?
  • Continuing productivity. Leaving a role open for too long can make it impossible to operate at peak productivity. Your remaining team members will have to try to fill the gap, which can weaken morale and lead to shortcuts. Your HR staff will be stretched thin with recruitment efforts. If you have a staffing plan in place, though, you will be ready to fill roles as they open, maintaining more consistent productivity and quality control.

Elements of a Staffing Plan

Your staffing plan is your roadmap to hiring for the year, so it should be as complete as possible. Essential elements include:

  • Annual business goals
  • Possible external factors
  • Detailed data about your current team
  • Predicted future personnel needs
  • Gap analysis, such as teams that lack needed experience or departments that are short-staffed

If this all sounds complicated, you’re right. Staffing plans are vital, but can be tricky to get right. But you don’t have to do it alone. When you partner with an experienced staffing company, you’ll gain the benefit of our expertise in creating and managing staffing plans to meet your hiring needs all year long.

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