How can HR improve the way a prospective workforce is evaluated?

In a constantly evolving business environment, you need to be careful with who you hire. One wrong move and the future of your business is at stake.

With careful consideration, you can empower current laborers, employees who need further development, and new hires.

That’s where strategic workforce planning comes in. With workforce planning, you can ensure you have the right number of people, with the right skill set, at the right time. As HR works directly with prospective hires, they play a large role in meeting an organization’s goals.

HR can assess your current workforce

HR should look to their own staff members to identify their skills, knowledge, and abilities. This includes evaluating competencies, additional training, certifications, and education levels, but HR should also go above and beyond their current job description for cross-training purposes.

Inputting your current workforces credentials in a well-suited resume format can help HR pull needed information quickly from an archive. Taking advantage of tools like Human Resource Management Systems will further streamline the department as well as payroll.

Personnel files provide a wealth of information. Everything from performance appraisals to completed projects can help HR place the best candidates in the right positions. 

HR can create employee development plans

HR can future-proof any company by creating a long-term development plan. Long-term development plans can also determine whether or not prospective employees have the skills or willingness to move into different roles. All employees should support the company’s growth.

When evaluating new and current employees, HR should:

  • Consider business goals: Do employees have the skills to grow within your business?
  • Speak with employees: What employees/skills are needed to help your department?
  • Think about employment skill gaps: How can you develop these skills?
  • Create a plan: What steps need to be in place to hire/teach these skills?
  • Apply new skills: Where will the employee/new hire fit after training?

While it’s sometimes necessary to look elsewhere for talent, it’s also important that you don’t neglect your current employees. High performers want to work for people who facilitate career growth and recognize their skills. Outsourcing may unintentionally ruin worker morale.

HR can create succession plans

To ensure that HR is prepared for a potential sudden hiring need, they must create a succession plan. Succession plans minimize disruptions by identifying critical roles in your business that a current employee can move into should someone leave, making cross-training essential.

HR can evaluate prospective employees based on their adaptability. On the other hand, HR can also hire trusting on-call staff or independent contractors that are willing to take over at a moment’s notice. If employees know they are covered, they’re more likely to stay long-term.

HR can perform gap analysis

HR is in the best position for gap analysis because they can assess their own HR practices and infrastructure. If a company is falling short, HR needs to evaluate and improve on:

  • Job descriptions: Does the job description match necessary skills and requirements?
  • Employee handbooks: Are all handbooks up-to-date with employment laws?
  • Training programs: Are employees prepared for their new role?
  • Health benefits: Are you meeting the needs of your employees under the ACA?
  • Sick days: Are you providing state-mandated sick days? Are you offering them at all?
  • Performance: Are your retirement contributions matching with business growth?

Businesses should understand that prospective employees are also evaluating you. If you have a high turnover rate, it’s likely that your employees’ needs aren’t being met. Poor organization and mishandling from managers can ruin a business, but HR can ensure that doesn’t happen.

HR can increase company resources

Not only are employees evaluating you once hired, but they’re also considering whether you’d be a great future employer from the word Go. As your business grows, so will your staffing needs, but there are common reasons why recruiting ideal employees can be tough.

HR can look at the competition to evaluate how their industry attracts hires. Typically, quality employees are looking for better compensation, benefits, technology, and work flexibility

It will be difficult to evaluate your prospective workforce without giving employees what they want because you’ll only attract what you don’t need. Evaluating future talent becomes a much simpler process when you have a good reputation and qualified HR staff.