Hiring into your team is an exciting time for any business, but it doesn’t come without some consideration. So how do you know when is the right time to hire and what are the things you need to consider?

When to hire

• You have a higher turnover profit than previously, freeing up funds to allow for expansion, growth and optimisation of your team structure.

• Your workers are consistently working overtime. This is a big signal that it’s time to do one of two things. Restructure or hire. Team members working overtime are at higher risks of burnout, which in the long term will do more harm to your business. In addition, sustained overtime tends to be more expensive financially than recruiting an extra member to join a team.

• You are unable to take on more work as the team has reached capacity.

• Your market is set to expand, whether that be through new laws or regulations coming into play, and you need more team member to meet the growing demand for your products or services.

• You’ve analysed the business and have recognised areas for growth and need missing skillsets to meet these goals.

• Your customer service has declined. If your team are overworked, pressurised and unable to deliver their usually top-quality service, this could be another sign you need hire to readjust the workload.

• Your most experienced team members are undertaking basic tasks that junior team members could do. This would free up these higher-paid team members to focus on larger projects and innovations that will prepare you for growth.

What to consider when expanding

Adding new members to your team can improve morale in the long run, but there are a few considerations to make.

• Team size is an important element to consider and whether you have the right ratio of team members to managers. If you have too many, you may find colleagues not getting enough valuable time with their manager. You could also risk a top heavy structure.

• Are you looking for a flatter team structure or to create layers – there are pros and cons to both, so it is worth considering which you prefer.

• Have you looked internally to other team members to fill the vacancy? Developing your own talent is a great way to build loyal colleagues and also helps give those within you organisation the opportunity to develop their careers.

• What additional provisions and equipment will you need for new team members, whether that be new desks, laptops or software.

• Your employee commitments and benefits packages will increase, as will payments to pensions. Ensure you have included additional team members in your financial forecasts.

• Ensure your new team members match the culture of your business. When a business expands, and grows significantly, the pre-existing culture can become diluted. While change is always good in any business, ensure you have the right people in place to enhance, not hinder, your fantastic culture.

Our services extend beyond simply recruiting. We work closely with many businesses around the region to recognise when is the right time to hire, or even when it might be a good idea to hold off for a few months.

We aim to always be transparent with our clients, and only work with people we know we can deliver a service that meets their needs and goals.

If you are thinking about hiring in the next few months, we’re more than happy to have a coffee and catch up to see where your business is at and where we can help.

Get in touch.