Help, I'm short of staff! An action plan

Many entrepreneurs in the current market will recognize it. Where 'you used to' were almost exclusively looking for customers, nowadays you are almost as often looking for staff. Employers no longer have employees to choose, but vice versa. Many companies, especially in the SME sector, are short of structural personnel. How do you solve such a problem now, both in the short and long term? In this blog we offer you a clear plan of approach.

Recruitment is marketing

In the current economy, recruitment is in many ways similar to traditional marketing. However, you do not market a product or service, but a position in your company. When you get your recruitment strategy as a marketing model approach, you will soon see which steps in this process are underexposed and deserve extra attention. We have set out the steps that you can distinguish below for you. For each step, it is stated which facets are important and which questions you could ask yourself.

Step 1: Recruitment

Just as customers do not just come to you to close deals, staff do not just come in too. Nowadays you will have to ensure that you are visible as an employer, that you benefit from good ones employer branding and that you reach the right target group. But how do you do that now?

The term has been used for a while: employer branding can help immensely in getting in touch with the right potential applicants. In short, employer branding means that you market your 'brand' as an employer in a well-considered way. You ensure a good image, for example through campaigns on social media. People know about the existence of your company and know why it is so cool to come and work for you.

Choose well which means and channels you want to use for this form of marketing. You go on Facebook recruit? Or via LinkedIn? Or both? Where is your target group located and how can you best address it? What language do you speak? How do you distinguish yourself from your competitors, why would anyone actually come to work for you? All things to think about and to crystallize out before you implement your recruitment strategy.

Also invaluable is one good working-at-page on your website. This is the melting pot of your employer brand and the landing page for potential applicants. Ideally, that work-by-page is well thought out and ensures a good conversion. Use for example Google Analytics. Ensure that your work-by-page is constantly subject to improvement and refresh; this page is crucial in your recruitment process!

Now that the candidates register, it is time to set up a selection procedure.

Step 2: Selection

Of course you do not hiring all applicants. How do you handle selection once you have a nice recruitment process in place? In this step, focus primarily on the departments for which it takes a striking amount of effort and time to find the right people. Do you select the right factors here?

For the IT department, for example, the market is currently very tight. The ideal applicant is unlikely to pass by. You will have to take this into account in your selection method. Accept rough diamonds and especially let the other employees of the department look over your shoulder. Sometimes crucial soft skills turn out to be more important for your company than, for example, work experience.

Step 3: Application procedure

Every applicant wants to experience a smooth, smooth application process. Especially if they can choose from several employers, a slow, bureaucratic application process is an excellent reason to drop out. Do you often experience that applicants gradually abandon the process? Then there is work to be done.

Map out your application process, if necessary by 'applying' yourself at your own company. How does the process go, how long do the steps take? Is it always clear to you as an applicant that your application is being worked on? They are often syrupy processes that slow things down and make people drop out.

Also ask applicants who eventually drop out for feedback. Not everyone will be willing to give it, but you may receive good insights here and there about why applicants do not continue. You may be offering unattractive terms of employment or something is missing in the way you communicate. You must know the problem before you can solve it.

An induction period ensures that the new employee feels at home.

Step 4: Training period

Of course you don't want to lose someone once on board again after a few months. That is why it is important to keep a finger on the pulse even after starting employment. How does each department prevent a new employee from being thrown in at the deep end and disillusioned?

Provide a warm welcome and have regular progress discussions. Let the new employee also indicate where help is needed and which things do or do not like. Obviously intervene quickly when needed and guarantee your learnings for the future.