Take More Time Over Recruitment Decisions
Published: April 2009
Relay is advising businesses to be more methodical and discriminating when considering recruitment spends and to avoid ‘panic buying’ when staffing.
Managing director, Steven Street, says that while companies might spend thousands of pounds investigating the relative benefits and returns on new plant and machinery, many will conduct only scant research on who operates it.He said: "No other investment is so poorly interrogated. Far too many organisations neglect to put in place proper, robust processes for the uptake of temporary, interim or even permanent staff.
"Too often, it's a panic spend - recruitment under duress - when a firm suddenly realises that there is manpower shortage. Then the imperative is to simply get bodies in quickly and cheaply, with no real planning or methodology."
This short-term expediency endangers the employer, as low calibre staff cost more ultimately, through lowered productivity, higher turnover and damaged reputations. Also, more money must be found to meet the costs of replacing them - and fresh training.
By contrast, our clients realise the importance of their most valuable asset and are prepared to spend time and money ensuring that all staff enjoy reward and recognition plans they deserve.
Steven added: "The distraction and expense of poor performance and rapid attrition is the last thing any company needs in a recession. Instead, there must be a calm, measured, ongoing staffing process, with time and funds allocated to the monitoring and forecasting of levels needed.
"Complementing this should be professional, considered selection procedures, with meaningful training and development for high quality workers, and retention strategies to keep them in place.
"If an employer has the best person in place for every single role, it will get the maximum return on each personnel investment. As such, it will be much better equipped to not merely survive extraordinary trading conditions, but to thrive in them."