Making Better Workforce Decisions Under New Conditions:

Why “more recruiting” is no longer the solution

When staffing challenges arise, many organisations instinctively respond by intensifying recruiting efforts: more job postings, more channels, more activity. In practice, this often leads to higher costs, longer vacancies and frustration – without delivering sustainable results.

The underlying issue is rarely recruiting execution. It lies in outdated decision assumptions. Workforce decisions today are made under fundamentally changed conditions: limited talent availability, rapidly evolving skill requirements and increasing time pressure.

This article provides a practical, step-by-step approach to help companies adapt their decision logic and remain operationally and strategically capable.

Step 1: Define workforce needs realistically, not ideally

Many hiring decisions fail at the very first step: the definition of need. Roles are often described as they should look in an ideal world, rather than what is truly required for business continuity.

A realistic needs assessment starts by asking:

• Which tasks must be reliably covered in the short term?

• Which responsibilities are critical, and which can be developed?

• Which skills are essential, and which are desirable but not mandatory?

Companies that clarify this early gain significant flexibility and increase their chances of making a successful hire.

Step 2: Treat skills as a development pathway, not a fixed state

Skills are often evaluated as binary: either present or missing. In reality, very few candidates match requirements perfectly, especially in a tight labour market.

A more resilient approach focuses on:

• which skills must be available at entry

• which can realistically be developed within six to twelve months

• how much learning capability the role requires overall

Viewing skills as a development pathway reduces dependency on the external labour market and strengthens internal stability.

Step 3: Integrate time as a core decision factor

Time is one of the most underestimated cost drivers in workforce decisions. Every unfilled role creates operational friction – through delays, overload or lost opportunities.

A sound decision process therefore asks:

• How long can the role realistically remain vacant?

• What are the operational and financial consequences of delay?

• At what point do alternative staffing solutions become more effective?

Only when time is explicitly considered can companies choose the most appropriate solution – not just the most desirable one.

Step 4: Use flexibility as a strategic control mechanism

Flexibility is often discussed only when problems escalate. Successful organisations, however, integrate it deliberately into their workforce strategy.

This means:

• applying flexibility where uncertainty is highest

• ensuring stability where continuity is critical

• combining both in a structured way

Strategic flexibility increases resilience and preserves decision-making freedom under volatile conditions.

Step 5: Assess workforce risks explicitly

Workforce shortages directly affect core business performance, yet they are often treated implicitly rather than as explicit business risks.

A professional approach addresses:

• which workforce gaps threaten value creation

• where key person dependencies exist

• which scenarios are realistic rather than optimistic

Explicit risk assessment leads to calmer, more robust decisions – even under pressure.

Step 6: How recruitment partners improve decision quality

The value of professional recruitment partners goes beyond filling positions. Their key contribution lies in improving decision quality.

They support companies by:

• providing realistic insights into labour market availability

• helping prioritise and refine requirements

• contextualising time, cost and risk

• identifying workable solutions instead of theoretical ideals

This leads to more resilient workforce decisions across industries and company sizes.

Conclusion: Strong workforce decisions follow a clear logic

Companies cannot control labour market conditions. What they can control is how professionally they respond to them.

Organisations that define needs realistically, view skills development strategically, account for time explicitly and use flexibility deliberately increase not only hiring success, but overall decision quality.

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