Is Recruitment Taking Priority in Your Business Expansion Strategy?
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With almost half of large employers looking to extend their full-time headcount by 2025, competition to attract staff remains fierce.
So why do so many aspects of the recruitment process feel like an afterthought when it comes to business expansion?
Volume recruitment adds complexity. Businesses are quick to forecast numbers needed to scale up but often overlook how their current talent acquisition team and wider HR network will deliver.
Careful planning and preparation is crucial.
In this blog, we consider some of the key points HR and procurement leaders need to include in an effective business expansion strategy.
Do Not Underestimate The Recruitment Challenge
Your business is well-established with a reputation in the market, and you are ready to grow. Filling high-volume staffing needs should be straightforward, with talented workers queuing up to be part of your expansion.
This is rarely the reality. Sourcing candidates at scale is a new challenge, which requires a departure from your standard approach.
Past success does not necessarily mean a talent team can scale up to meet increased needs. If they are accustomed to a relatively predictable and consistent volume of hires, teams may struggle to adapt to the new requirements placed on them.
Moreover, many organisations operate a business partner approach with talent acquisition professionals aligned to different departments. Redeploying resources to support intensive hiring needs in a specific area adds an extra dimension to the challenge.
To effectively prepare for a business expansion, every aspect of recruitment should be considered before the process is underway. Both talent acquisition and HR teams should be closely involved to ensure pre- and post-recruitment operations work in harmony, and are ready to change course when needed.
Key Recruitment Considerations
Consider discussing these key factors with your talent team before you set your business expansion plans in motion:
1. Technology
Without up-to-date technologies – such as applicant tracking systems – teams will struggle to manage a high-volume talent pipeline. Manual and paper-driven processes must be modernised to maintain visibility.
2. Marketing
Without up-to-date technologies – such as applicant tracking systems – teams will struggle to manage a high-volume talent pipeline. Manual and paper-driven processes must be modernised to maintain visibility.
3. Assessments
Without up-to-date technologies – such as applicant tracking systems – teams will struggle to manage a high-volume talent pipeline. Manual and paper-driven processes must be modernised to maintain visibility.
Case Study:
Despite investing heavily in multiple attraction channels, Stagecoach were struggling to source candidates for their London garage. Adecco designed and implemented an enhanced attraction, recruitment and selection process that included retailored job adverts highlighting unique perks.
Read More
4. Phasing
Volume hiring may require you to hire the managers first so they can build their own teams. Or certain functions may need to be up and running to support the rest of the business. For operations to run smoothly, your team will need to be comfortable with a phased approach.
5. Re/Upskilling
The market may not contain enough candidates with the direct skills to match your vacancies. You may have to source candidates with transferable skills and train them, which requires learning and development expertise and knowledge of skills-based hiring.
6. Data-Driven Improvements
A recent Gartner surveyfound that only 37% of organisations considered themselves effective at using data to support workforce planning. By failing to do so, talent acquisition teams will be unable to recognise faults in the process or use data to inform future strategies.
7. Future Expansion
Even if your talent team are confident in handling initial numbers, they also need to be aware of the potential for future growth. This may result in a rolling recruitment campaign that requires teams to be adaptable to peaks and troughs in the hiring lifecycle.
To explore more insights on changing candidate expectations and recruitment from an executive perspective, read our With almost half of large employers looking to extend their full-time headcount by 2025, 2024 Adecco Business Leaders Global Report
Next Steps
Talent leaders are advised to look at their data and discuss the points above with their team. By starting the conversation early, teams can agree where further investment is needed and make changes before business expansion gets underway. Leaving it too late risks making it harder to adjust direction, with new plans already in motion.
Ensuring all stages of the recruitment process are managed effectively – and planned in advance – requires resource and expertise. Whatever stage your business expansion is at, our recruitment process outsourcing (RPO)team are ready to provide a flexible solution to help you manage all or part of the challenge.
Adecco have worked closely with a diverse range of clients for over 20 years, offering scalable recruitment results at speed. By drawing on the latest technology and seamlessly combining our centralised delivery centre with our regional talent-sourcing specialists, we can ensure cost savings and reduced hassle for your organisation.
Contact us today.