Ask just about any business owner their goals and you will find ‘growth’ at the top of the list. Growth means that you are reaching more people with your service or product. It also represents an opportunity to increase profits. Along with the benefits of growth come some very real challenges. One of the most common challenges business owners face during periods of growth is staying adequately staffed. If you do not have the labor support you need then it can negatively impact the level of service your customers receive. If you are experiencing growth in your business, or expect to soon, then it is important that you learn how to get and stay appropriately staffed.

Be proactive

Accurately anticipating your staffing needs is a big part of staying staffed. But, this can be difficult to do especially during high periods of growth. You have to keep a close eye on the growth you are experiencing and attempt to stay ahead of your staffing needs. This may mean that you keep job openings posted continuously so there is always a list of potential candidates available to you as your staffing needs increase. Another way to be proactive about staffing is to expand your staffing options to more flexible labor forces.

Employ temporary labor

Temporary labor can be a life saver during high periods of business growth, especially if the growth is temporary or sudden. Temporary labor can help fill the gap in your labor needs until you get the permanent help you need. One of the major benefits of temporary labor is that you can gain access to a labor pool quickly. Staffing agencies typically have a pool of people who they have already interviewed and vetted for you to choose from. You then decide who is the best fit form the options the staffing agency provides. You may not find the long term employees you need through a temporary labor force but you can most likely fill your immediate staffing needs.

Outsource

Outsourcing is a cost effective way to stay adequately and appropriately staffed during high periods of business growth. You will have the same quick access to additional labor as you would with a staffing agency but none of the instability. Outsourcing is not set up to employ people who only want temporary work. Instead, outsourcing is built on a team model where highly qualified individuals have the opportunity to work on a variety of projects. If you only need a little bit of help then there will be a small team of outsourcers on your projects. As your needs increase, the outsourcing company will bring on additional help as needed. This model makes for smooth transitions as your business grows. You can avoid the time consuming tasks that come with hiring additional help and focus on continued growth.

The challenge of staying staffed during high periods of business growth is a good problem to have. Rapid growth is a testament to the fact that you and your business are doing something right. Avoid less than stellar service or gaps in productivity by saying on top of your staffing needs and labor options.