Strategic Staffing for IT

Strategic staffing is a concept that didn’t exist until fairly recently but that has quickly gained traction throughout the corporate world, especially in IT departments. The basic concept is to anticipate your future staffing needs in strategic terms, and build mechanisms into your workforce that allow you to quickly and effectively change its character as your needs evolve.

The goal of strategic staffing is to ensure you always have the skills you need to seize the opportunities of today and tomorrow. The issue of a tech skills gap is one that plagues employers in all sectors, and strategic staffing is meant to solve the problem now, and prevent it from ever reappearing. Recruiting in a more strategic way is not simple, but if you are conscientious and committed to the process, even beginners can quickly start reaping the benefits. Here are a few basic tips to get you started.

Start to Forecast

Where is your company headed over the short and long term? Are you initiating an aggressive growth strategy, or do you plan to hold steady where you are? How will future challenges and opportunities affect your goals? Ask yourself questions like these and start to forecast what kinds of implications they will have for your IT workforce.

Anticipate Vacancies

One of the major goals of strategic staffing is to fill holes in your workforce before they affect your business. Look over your employment rolls and identify employees who are reaching retirement age, likely to leave for other opportunities, or at risk of being terminated. Having this kind of foresight allows you to be proactive rather than reactive.

Revise Your Recruitment Strategy

How successful have you been in the past at finding qualified employees in a timely manner? Strategic staffing depends on having connections with a stream of IT professionals. Consider forming relationships with local colleges and universities to fill entry-level positions, and a staffing firm for more senior positions. Make sure you are also prepared to offer the compensation necessary to attract candidates.

Prioritize Retention

Established employees typically make a bigger contribution to your business than new hires. Make sure you are not compromising your strategic staffing efforts by discouraging employees from staying in your fold. Unexpected vacancies can have catastrophic effects on your goals, so find ways to incentivize loyalty.

Rely on Non-traditional Employees

Full-time employees are not your only option when you need to staff strategically. There are a number of qualified IT professionals seeking out contract and temporary positions. Keep this option in mind when you only need to revise your workforce temporarily, or when you need to fill a gap until a permanent replacement can be found.

Finally, remember that strategic staffing is an ongoing process. The minute you solve one workforce challenge, it’s time to start planning for the next. Rely on expert guidance from INSPYR Solutions, and expand the IT talent pool you have to select from.