Hire to get the job done, not to fill a position
By Pamela J. Gallagher
In the midst of the Great Resignation, staffing is complete chaos. Across industries, organizations are rushing to fill vacancies so that customer service (and profits) don’t skip a beat. In the urgency of the moment, everyone is looking to hire permanent employees to replace the ones that resigned, but I think businesses would benefit from taking a pause to evaluate their true needs and rethink how they approach hiring.
What expertise do we need for the job we want done?
Before planning for a permanent hire, organizations should consider: what job do we really want done? Often, human resources departments can get stuck in an idea of what is best. Hiring has become very position-centric, rather than skills- and expertise-centric. Organizations decide they need to hire a CFO, but they need to be more specific. What is the primary job they need that CFO to do? Do they need a turnaround CFO, or perhaps one that specializes in mentoring and building relationships, for example? Businesses need to take the time to be more definitive about their situation, assessing whether they need a person who can build or maintain, or someone who can complete a certain type of project.
Hire to get the job done and move the organization forward, not fill an open position.
Do we really need a full-time, long-term hire to get the expertise we need?
Once you have determined the expertise necessary for the job you need done, it’s time to think outside the box and consider whether you really need someone long-term. Different needs require different kinds of expertise, and someone with a start-up skill set will likely not have the skills to maintain an operation long-term.
This opens up opportunities for new types of positions. Perhaps you need an expert for a particular task or project. Maybe what you need is more of a quarterback to coordinate needs across the board, or someone who can get your organization ready for a future long-term hire. The key to making a short-term hiring work is making sure both parties communicate clear expectations.
Hiring a person in a short-term capacity does not lessen the value of their work or the value you place on that individual. Instead, it allows you to honor their expertise while making the best use of it to meet the needs of your business, rather than just finding a person to fill a position who may not have the skills to tackle the challenges your business may face down the road. The expertise also often comes without the added expenses of benefits, insurance, extensive trainings, holidays, etc.
Additionally, while continuity of business is important, many people are unsure about a long-term commitment to an organization in the current environment. Many highly qualified candidates on the job market today are looking for something with more flexibility and a shorter-term commitment. Organizations miss out on these hires if they are unwilling to consider the benefits of a short-term position in the name of doing things the way they’ve always been done.
Mass resignations across industries will have ripple effects into the future, but I am convinced that not all these effects have to be negative. This is a prime opportunity for organizations to clarify the expertise they need, redesign their hiring approach, and get things done in new ways to continue to fulfill their mission.
Resources:
The Great Resignation & The Future Of Work: Jonathan Tian On How Employers and Employees Are Reworking Work Together, Authority Magazine
Commentary: Doing 'what you love' may be fuelling the Great Resignation Wave, Channel News Asia
Professor who predicted ‘The Great Resignation’ shares the 3 trends that will dominate work in 2022, CNBC