There are few things worse than getting caught off-guard and ending up under or over staffed. Without the right plan in place, it is all too easy to make these mistakes and unfortunately, the consequences can be pretty serious.
So, how do you plan ahead for the next quarter to ensure that you’re going to have just the right amount of employees? There are a few things to consider and you’ll need to do a little legwork, too.
Look to the Past to Plan for the Future
The best place to start is with your company’s historical data on engineering staffing. Take a look at the staffing trends over the past five years and see if you can spot any definite patterns. Seasonal businesses often have to hire more during their busy quarters and then back off when things slow back down. Once you have a good idea of past trends, you’ll be able to have the information you need to plan smart for this quarter.
Talk With Hiring Managers and Department Heads
Next, you’ll need to sit down to discuss the current staffing plan with your hiring managers. They’re going to have a pretty good idea of whether or not new employees are needed and can give you some more insight into the types of hires that are working and those who aren’t. If you have a bunch of hires that are not panning out, the time to start looking for people to replace them is now.
Your next stop will be to discuss the situation with your department heads and those who are in charge of advance planning in your company. For example, let’s say you work for a technology company that is about to launch a brand new device in the next quarter. Can you meet the potential demand with the workforce you currently have? Make sure that the lines of communication between your departments and theirs stay open.
It seems pretty simple, but a lack of proper communication about growth expectations is a number one reason for hiring issues in the workforce.
Develop a Succession Plan
It would be terrific if great employees would always stay in one place and never retire or seek another job, but that of course is not the case. To avoid getting caught off guard, it’s a great idea to have a succession plan in place. Train and plan ahead so that you’ll know when you need to hire new employees to replace outgoing or retiring employees.
One great example of this is the nuclear engineering field. Right now, there are numerous engineers in this field, but few are under the age of 50. That means that in around 15 years, there is going to be a dearth of nuclear engineers to take their place. Plan ahead and make sure you’re courting the right candidates.
While you don’t have a crystal ball to see exactly what the next quarter will bring, a little advance planning will help take the stress out of your hiring plan.
Need to find the right engineering candidates? The experts at Solopoint Solutions are here to help.