Increase Organizational Performance through Proactive Hiring

May 15th, 2013

When companies across American desire to accomplish anything, the process is fairly consistent. Vision, mission, goal, plan, tactics, and metrics are terms ensuring the right things are targeted, worked on, and managed. Funding an initiative, function, or organization doesn’t happen in successful U.S. companies without these components.

However, in the world of talent acquisition this is many times not the case.  How can an organization hope to be successful in attracting, recruiting and hiring high-caliber, top performers without setting vision, mission, plan, tactics, and metrics rolled up into an effective “Talent Acquisition Strategy”.  However, for many companies, the strategy is spending as little as possible, with “cost per hire” as the only KPI.

One of a well-managed company’s main goals has to be to continuously acquire and retain high caliber, top-performing talent (even if all positions are filled and your budget is stretched).   Focus on continuously hiring top talent intentionally, even if they are hired to the bench (as part of the “talent acquisition strategy”) and allocate additional budget dollars to accomplish this goal.

This is advantageous to companies because top candidates – full of potential, motivation, and ambition will make a positive contribution no matter the role, far exceeding their compensation and be available, ready to go when future opportunities present themselves (as it always does in growing companies).   Transition becomes a no brainer, as now the organization can move a proven talent (who understands the business) into keys roles, instead of reactively doing critical external searches and hiring a candidate that knows nothing of the company’s business or unique characteristics.

Regardless of structure or what hiring to the “bench” is called – leadership program, rotational staff, special projects  – hiring high caliber candidates, bringing them into the organization, providing top drawer training, allowing them to acclimate to the culture, strategy and process  – is profitably beneficial to the overall organization.

As the company begins the process of proactive hiring – and (unless intentional) foregoes reactive hiring, the overall company’s growth and profitability is enhanced. All companies desire growth (and must grow to survive), but as they grow, they require more skilled employees.  In today’s business environment, turnover will occur – especially in the talent competitive, rapidly changing corporate marketplace of today. Having open positions in the future is a “given”, not a “maybe”.

As the “War for Talent” continues, “talent acquisition” needs to be a focused, continuous, planned process with a recruiting engine that never turns off. Once a motivated, high-caliber candidate is identified, determine their fit, sell them on the organization, hire them, and create a position and growth plan mutually beneficial to them and the organization.

Honer & Associates

At Honer & Associates, we have specialized in IT talent acquisition for over 30 years.  Assisting companies in acquiring top talent that will fuel innovation and growth is our trademark.  To discuss this topic or other necessary to hiring quality talent, feel free to contact us at your convenience.