A Different Way to Think About Hiring

What is certain in the work world is uncertainty. Employers need to determine what skills employees will need in the next five to 10 years and plan accordingly for hiring now. Mobility is the new normal. Employees need to have skill "clusters" with an outcome-based approach.

Going back to my staff situation and looking at these two factors, I now look for a potential staff member with the education, experiences, skills and generalist ability to meet changing organizational needs. Like many of you, I do not have the organizational resources to hire additional staff. I look at my staff for ROI each fiscal year and determine where I can change job descriptions. In some cases, I make very proactive role changes and, in others, reactive role changes based on opportunities due to staff departures.

You may lose some staff due to proactive changes, but you must think about the institutional direction going forward. In many cases, your staff members will be excited to meet new personal challenges as they seek growth and greater responsibility in their jobs. Always note that while they are working for you, many are also thinking about their next jobs at other organizations. The work world is very dynamic and forever changing. How can you continue to redesign your organizational chart and make job description changes for maximum results?

Determine what organizational chart can bring the most success to the organization. Then, think about hiring in a different way. Many utility players in baseball play different positions. Look for staff with the background for flexibility in the future. You need people who can and are willing to take new job responsibilities in a positive way. A wonderful by-product of this action will be employee retention.