Whilst many organizations can allow for steady, organic growth of their workforce as their brand develops and work picks up, in an ever-changing world such as tech, sometimes it is necessarily to respond to changing needs with rapid work force development. It is important that this is done properly; failure to successfully grow a team could result in a drain in resources, rather than an upturn in productivity.
On the surface, the tech world appears to have swerved from one extreme to another, with the tech talent gap followed by the big tech lay off. However, in reality, the layoff only impacted the major tech companies; there is still plenty of demand for tech talent, and there are tech jobs out there for those who know where to look. For companies who need to grow their team – and fast – it helps to take a considered approach.
Plan for tomorrow – not just today
Before you know the resources that you need to build your future, you first need to know what your future might look like. By setting goals for your organization, you should be able to see what your staffing needs are likely to be in the future, as well as right now. From your organizational plan you will be able to see where you want to go, and you should have a good idea of what – and who – you need to help you get there.
Develop existing talent
You may not need additional management now, but if your strategy shows you that you will in the future, it may pay to take on staff at a lower level who are able to fulfil your current needs and develop them to take on progressively more responsibility. By developing in-house talent, you are ensuring high quality training, creating a healthy working environment, and developing a team of loyal leaders who understand your organization from the ground up.
Welcome diversity
Whether you are operating in an industry that is known for its inclusion and diversity, or you are breaking the mould in your pursuit of a diverse workplace, the data is clear: diverse organizations are more effective (Forbes, 2018). Diversity allows you to build a strong network of people based on their personal attributes. A mix of age, gender identity, race, cultural and socioeconomic experiences will allow you to gain maximum benefit from your growing team, as each member is encouraged to play to their strength.
Manage expectations
One of the keys to growing a team quickly – and retaining that talent – is to manage expectations – both yours and new and existing team members’. From job descriptions to individual targets and progression opportunities, clarity of what each person has to offer, what is expected from them, and what they have to gain will promote a hardworking, cohesive environment that is most likely to allow your team to grow steadily and effectively, without having to manage layoffs and additional recruitment rounds.
Take advantage of the current climate
According to data, the end of 2022 and beginning of 2023 saw unprecedented layoffs among the FAANG companies (Meta – formerly Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, and Alphabet (formerly Google). This Big Tech layoff saw more than 150,000 redundancies and, understandably shook the tech world.
For recruiters, the layoff may prove to be an advantage, as skilled experts move away from big tech, with a generous redundancy package, and have the financial buffer and the career gap to allow them to take on new tech jobs with start ups and rapidly growing organizations. This is, in fact, a unique opportunity for growing organizations to engage talent that would have automatically been snapped up by big tech in the past.
Get specialist support
If you are in a position to need to rapidly grow your team, then you are probably an expert within your field. That doesn’t necessarily mean that you are an expert in recruitment. One way to manage rapid growth needs is to engage a recruitment specialist, who will be able to apply their extensive, industry-specific knowledge to help you to find personnel who will fit your organizational needs today, while allowing ongoing development in the future.
Develop your leadership skills
Running an organization can be a challenge, but leading a growing organization amid a time of flux comes with its own set of trials. Make sure that the leadership team are able to steer the organization through this period of change successfully and sustainably by ensuring that you – and your team – have the skills, resources and support to do so.