Posted in Management Best Practices

How Uncertainty in the Supply Chain Impacts Your Workforce

In uncertain times, flexibility wins.

Over the last two years, companies have faced extreme uncertainty in the supply chain leaving leaders, HR, and operations scrambling. When COVID-19 disrupted supply chains worldwide, it also disrupted our way of life—and work. But as with so many challenges in life, disruption can bring opportunity. To grow. To innovate. To create new ways of doing things that blow “the way we always did it” right out of the water.

If your workforce has been impacted by supply chain disruption, it’s not too late to take advantage of the opportunity for change. Here are some tips on developing a more strategic staffing model to help you cope with continued delays and uncertainty in the supply chain.

Leverage Temporary Staffing

Use temporary, or “on-demand,” staffing to flex your workforce to meet demand. By hiring workers only when needed, you convert fixed labor costs into variable costs to better manage the timing uncertainty caused by supply shortages. If you need to hire core team members, temp-to-hire staffing can help you “try out” new employees until you find a great fit.

Recruit Proactively

Uncertainty in your supply chain means you never know when you might need more people. For the best candidates, partner with a staffing firm that understands your business and can recruit continually and strategically on your behalf. You won’t always be hiring, but you’ll have a robust pipeline of highly qualified talent when you need them.

Protect Your People

Uncertainty is exhausting, and no one understands that better than your team. When there aren’t enough people to do the work, something must give—usually morale, culture, retention, and productivity. Use temporary staffing to augment your full-time staff during times of high demand so you don’t burn them out. Staying optimally staffed will help your team stay healthier, happier, and more productive.

Focus on Flexibility

There is no one-and-done answer to supply chain challenges, but flexibility is vital moving forward. Are you spending precious time and resources on non-core business functions? Consider outsourcing them to streamline costs and add more flexibility to your workforce. Are you overstaffed some days and scrambling for workers the next? Evaluating your staffing needs and adjusting your hiring levels to meet demand will help you remain more profitable and productive. Are you heavy in some departments but light in others? Perhaps reskilling workers could balance shift coverage.

Partner With PrideStaff

Want to create a flexible staffing strategy to help you adapt to changing demands? Our recruiting experts can help you create a proactive recruitment plan to keep your business productive and profitable—and make the most of your workforce.

The PrideStaff team is eager to help you:

Forecast talent requirements and recruit needed skills.
Create an actionable plan customized for your business.
Stay optimally staffed to support your core team.

Contact your local PrideStaff office today!

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