We hear it all the time: it’s hard to hire and keep people.
There is obviously truth to this. Generational shifts in attitudes towards construction work, ongoing (and likely permanent) labor shortages, rising wages and the perception that the easiest way to get ahead is to go work somewhere else—these are all true.
However, success in business requires a perspective shift. Hard situations are opportunities for creative ways to win.
How strategic planning helps you win the hiring game
Strategic planning is the process of deciding where you want to go, how you’ll get there, and how you’ll measure progress. We call this vision – strategies – implementation, and this threefold framework is the main part of our strategic planning process.
Here are three ways strategic planning can help you get ahead of hiring challenges.
- Start with vision. Many job seekers want to know why they should work for you, and this goes way deeper than a paycheck. The best strategic plans are rooted in both short-term goals and long-term vision. The best recruiting efforts are the same way.
- Action step: audit your job descriptions and job posts from the perspective of an outsider. Do they communicate an exciting vision for the whole company and for that role? If not, people are probably passing it over.
- Be strategic. A strategy means saying yes to a small number of specific paths, and then focusing time & resources into those paths, and saying NO to other things (whether explicitly or simply because you choose not to focus on them). For hiring, this means (1) having a standard process, (2) hiring AHEAD of what you need right now (which requires investment), and (3) having 90-180 day goals so you know what you’re building towards.
- Action step: audit your hiring process and find a way to simplify, professionalize, and standardize it.
- Track your progress & practice continuous improvement. In life and business, our systems are set up to give us exactly the results we’re getting. Want different results? Change something about your system. Rewrite your job description, post it somewhere else, reach out to your network, ask a consultant for advice on compensation & benefits, clarify the role’s expectations, consider what roles are truly needed.
- Action step: do after action reviews after interviews and new hires that don’t work out. Ask: what went well? Why? What didn’t go well? Why? What can we learn and do differently?
When it comes to hiring and keeping talent, strategic planning is key. Connect with our experts today for tailored solutions in approving your hiring approach.
