Optimize Your Workforce

It does not matter if you are the owner of a company or just the manager you want to build a workforce that complements the goals of the company. You could hire all professionals but this still does not mean that it optimizes your workforce.  To improve the company’s performance take a talent optimization approach.

The reason for the use of an optimized workforce are:

1.  Expenses reduce

2.  Productivity increases

3.  Operational agility improves

4.  Compliance is better

5. Financial risks are smaller

The reason the above works is an optimized workforce improves the morale of the employees. Communication among all the departments of a company is what causes the better morale. Good morales and the employees like coming into work. Poor morale causes dissension among employees and keep them from doing their best.

How do you optimize your workforce? The following steps will help you do this.

1. Know the company’s weaknesses

It does not matter how many employees you have you need to identify the company’s weaknesses A business leader should be honest about the company’s flaws. Once the leader know the flaws they should take steps to work on them.

2. Recruitment timing

Timing for recruiting is also important. While employers hire during the good times they should also do hiring during the bad times. It is during the downturn that highly qualified applicants can be found. In the long run it makes for a good investment for the company.

3. Recruitment ads

Create a job as that shows a broad reflection of your company’s values and culture. You want to hook the reader at the very beginning.  Define the job requirements and what the applicant will be doing. Tell why your company is a great place to work. Place why you value your employees at the very beginning of the ad. Revise the ad as you hire new employees do not use the same one over again.

4. Work environment

When a company fosters an environment where employees feel comfortable around each other they thrive. You do not have to be close friends just have informal happy hours or outings. These also work as team builders.

5. Build trust

Build trust with your employees by not withholding important information from them. Tell them why you made the decision that you did. Value their input. If you let them know that you are taking the company in a new direction they will be more invested in the company if they know this and why you are doing this.

6. Protect employees

Protect your employees from potential crisis. When growing a company there are liable to be pitfalls. Having a plan to restructure the department or ideas on how to merge positions will keep employees from wondering what is going on and deciding to abandon ships.

7. Continual education

Encourage your employees to take part in seminars or classes including pursuing a higher education. When this is done employees will strive to become better. When employees know that continual education will allow them to receive more responsibilities or better pay, they will continue to work towards a better position.

8. Employee evaluations

Have a method in place that measures an employees’ performance. When you know how employees are doing, you can provide training in areas that are lacking. Tell your employees what you expect of them. Do not spring performance reviews on them let them know in advance. Have a standing date so it can prepare the employees. 

It takes time to optimize your workforce. There will be pitfalls and there will be successes. You just have to keep working at it. Eventually you will have the optimized team that you need for your company. You will have a team that will propel your company forward.     

by: Dennis Hung   

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