optimize your hiring strategy.

There’s a reason people say not to put all your eggs in one basket. This old saying goes beyond the kitchen and can be applied to your production line. Adopting different hiring models and methods of filling your open roles can help optimize your workforce and your bottom line. Building an efficient hiring strategy optimizes your workforce spend and reduces the time you spend posting jobs, interviewing, and screening candidates. Many different factors affect today’s hiring market, making a diverse talent acquisition plan a smart choice.

a changing talent market

Today’s hiring market requires more flexibility than ever before. With 61 percent of employers struggling to find the right candidate, being agile in your hiring strategy can make all the difference in the speed and quality of your staffing. Finding, attracting, and retaining skilled talent in a complex and rapidly changing hiring environment is a challenge many are working to overcome. Companies across the US and the globe are struggling to fill their open positions due to their hiring expectations, external conditions, or any number of scenarios to watch out for such as:

searching for perfection

Focusing solely on recruiting and retaining top talent can be difficult as the best candidates are often passive. Direct hire strategies can attract candidates who may have turned down a temporary role.

changing worker expectations

Today’s hiring process has become lengthy, often with multiple rounds of interviews. Adapting to worker preferences, especially that of the growing Gen Z workforce, to minimize timelines can help keep top candidates engaged in the hiring process.

new job platforms

More and more apps are joining the marketplace offering talent the ability to find work on their terms. These disruptors are changing the game for flexible employees and streamlining the hiring and onboarding process. Employers should adapt to this growing market segment to reach a wider talent pool. The Randstad app is a great resource for attracting temporary workers from their phones with minimal downtime.

advancing technology

Technology is rapidly advancing, with more and more positions requiring experience with automation and AI. By taking a skills-based hiring approach, employers can address skills gaps and focus on training and development to upskill employees and keep up with rapidly evolving job requirements.

finding the perfect fit

Many employers retain employees who may not be the best cultural or role fit due to the challenges of finding replacements in the current market. A temp-to-hire approach can provide a unique “try before you buy” approach, meaning you can avoid making the wrong hire altogether.

uptick in employment laws

The past year has seen an increase in employment laws aimed at making the workplace fairer and more equitable for employees. This new legislation can pose a challenge for employers who aren’t equipped to adapt to these new standards. In some cases, working with a staffing agency can help you mitigate any associated risks that come with a temporary hire and avoid penalties, either by shouldering the burden of compliance required for temporary employees or by providing direct hire solutions and eliminating the risk altogether.

wage parity for temporary workers

New Jersey and Illinois became the first states to require employers to ensure the pay and benefits are the same among their temporary and permanent employees in comparable positions.

pay transparency laws

An increasing number of states, including California, Colorado, New York, and Washington D.C., have passed laws requiring employers to disclose salary ranges in job postings. This trend towards pay transparency aims to promote pay equity.

paid leave updates

Many states have updated their paid sick and family leave laws, increasing leave amounts, expanding eligible reasons for use, and raising carryover limits. This trend aims to provide more robust worker protections.

federal overtime exemptions

The Department of Labor made a final ruling to raise the minimum salary threshold of the standard exemption for many employees, intending to reduce the exploitation of hourly workers.

non-compete bans

The FTC has decided to promote competition by banning noncompete clauses. This ruling impacts the vast majority of workers and can mean big changes for the future of recruiting.

AI regulation

Big cities and technology hubs like New York City, Portland, OR, Illinois, and California are developing regulations to protect employees using AI technology and algorithms.

seasonal projects and peaks

Seasonal hiring and managing to support peaks in your business comes with a new set of challenges this year. Many of our clients find that their peaks and ramps occurred at different intervals - or not at all - over the past few years. Trying to keep up with the challenges of an evolving industry requires an agile strategy to hire employees.

shortage of skilled labor

The industrial sector often faces a gap between the skills available in the job market and those required by employers. This can lead to prolonged vacancies and decreased productivity during peak seasons.

high turnover rates

Seasonal work can experience high turnover rates, which are costly and disrupt operations and morale. Understanding the root causes, such as inadequate compensation or poor workplace culture, is crucial to addressing this issue.

efficient hiring and training

When preparing for a seasonal ramp, businesses need to work to recruit, onboard, and train a large influx of workers in a short timeframe. This can strain internal hiring teams, especially in today’s hiring market.

timing is everything

Hiring temporary workers for a seasonal peak can be a smart choice, but it requires upfront planning to have adequate staff onboarded. If you hire too early, you risk overspending, and too late, you miss your window of productivity. Teaming up with a skilled talent partner with a strong pipeline can make preparing for and finding workers a much more manageable process.

keeping up with legislation

Many recent laws specifically impact temporary workers and the companies that hire them. If you plan to hire seasonal staff this year, build in time to educate your hiring team on any local or federal laws impacting your teams.

balancing the budget

Keeping workforce spending under control isn’t a new issue, but it remains a top concern for hiring professionals. Balancing quality and cost is challenging when hiring the talent you need to keep your organization running smoothly. Companies can reduce their labor cost in many ways - reducing turnover and absenteeism, optimizing wages, and limiting hiring are just a few. But if you need staff quickly and don’t have time to make adjustments, working with a talent partner can help you to work within your budget by addressing some key areas.

prolonged fill times

The longer positions remain open, the more costly they become. Spending time recruiting, managing the workload with existing employees, and reducing productivity are bad news for any business. By consulting with an expert, you can evaluate all the hiring options available and ensure you make the most efficient use of your recruiting resources.

share the burden of benefits

Offering benefits to full-time employees can become costly. By switching to a temporary hiring plan, you can lean on your talent partner to shoulder the responsibility - and cost - of the benefits for your workers. Randstad offers comprehensive benefits for all talent, including medical, dental, and vision coverage, life insurance, employee discounts, and more.

start with a temporary hire

When money is tight, making sure you are happy with your candidate can give you peace of mind to making a hiring decision. If you don't have the budget to risk on a direct hire employee, temp-to-hire may be the right choice. By securing the talent on a temporary basis, you don’t miss out on a great candidate that you need to keep your business running.

no upfront costs

One of the best parts of working with a partner like Randstad for direct hire positions: there is no upfront cost to finding your new employee. When we work together, our consultants present the top talent for you to evaluate and interview - all at no cost. You only pay once you pick your favorite and are ready to hire. Every direct hire comes with a satisfaction guarantee - if you aren’t happy we will find a replacement candidate, free of charge.

reduce job board spend

You may already allocate some of your hiring budget to job boards and other recruiting sources. These platforms can add up, especially when candidates are low quality or ghost the interview. By leaning on an expert, you can eliminate costs and only pay once your new hire is working.

Determining what hiring strategy is the right choice and when each makes sense for your business can be a tricky balancing act. Randstad has over 60 years of experience recruiting and hiring the best talent, and we’ve compiled a guide to help you determine which hiring model is right for your open roles. Download our guide to learn more about our hiring strategies and how you can make the most of your open positions.