This Innovative Hiring Approach Will Help You Beat the Great ResignationThese four strategies can help you stay ahead in an unpredictable hiring landscape.

ByBrandon Blanton

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Forecasting staffing needs wasn't exactly easy before the pandemic. Now, predicting hiring demand expectations is becoming increasingly difficult.

Although the 2021 job market was arguably less volatile than in 2020, it still saw plenty of change. Consequently, as we go further into 2022, we're facing several impactful unknowns that are clouding the waters. The first pertains to consumer behavior.

As noted inThe Wall Street Journal, shoppers responded to sudden hardships byre-prioritizing what mattered. People areswitching brand loyaltiesand millions of employees are simultaneouslyjoining the Great Resignation. As a result, some companies have found themselves with fewer fans while others experienced labor shortages practically overnight.

Even organizations that have managed to hold onto their people may have undergone major upheaval. Why? Employees across the board have voted with their feet about wanting to work remotely, at least part of the time. Companies have responded by trying to create and maintain successful hybrid work models thatfoster productivityand降低车nces of worker churn.

Global hiring trends will continue to be anything but predictable in the coming year. So what can you do if you're not able to use pre-2020 metrics to forecast your hiring needs? Take a people-centered approach and assess ways to meet job candidates where they are with these recommendations.

Related:The 7 Staffing Challenges Every Entrepreneur Faces

1. Don't sleep on staffing fluidity

Many people are reluctant to commit to full-time positions at the moment. Yet they're eager to ply their trades. Rather than try to force them to give you 100% of their time, offer part-time or nontraditional options.

You certainly won't be the only business on the block that's adapted in this way. Many companies are creating hybrid work environments that allow for flexible work schedules so staff can optimize their personal and professional time. Even enterprise-level American Express has freshened up its work opportunities to include parent-friendlierwork-from-home structures.

At the end of the day, it's less expensive to keep great performers by giving them a path to grow professionally — even if the path isn't a classic full-time role.

Related:Improve Employee Retention By Taking a People-First Approach

2. Move to an on-demand workforce

A flexible, on-demand workforce has many advantages over a traditional staffing model, particularly now. On-demand improves your workforce planning because it allows you to budget for assignments, projects and selling spikes. Plus, the trained people working as on-demand employees may be excited to tackle different duties.

New to hiring people for on-demand work? You may want to source your talent from a staffing agency or one ofmore than 300 portals. Or, if you anticipate needing a cadre of on-demand personnel for the long haul, you could amass your own pool of employees.

Related:Do You Need On-Demand Talent? Here's How to Know

3. Reimagine attendance protocol

Adults don't appreciate being treated like children by their employers. They want to be valued based on the quality of their output, not the amount of time they spend at work. In fact, more thanone-third of Gallup poll respondentssaid the ability to take control of their time and calendar played a factor in which jobs they took.

Yes, you want to make sure that duties get handled correctly. Nevertheless, don't penalize a good employee for not being able to work a full shift every time. Have more of an open mind when it comes to dealing with absences and shift flexibility. Consider brainstorming ways to make sure responsibilities are fulfilled without risking the loss of top-notch professionals.

4. Conduct a wage analysis

Rising inflation and heavy competition have led to major pay rate increases in some sectors. Take the pulse of your own company's salaries to make sure job seekers see your organization as a desirable place to work.

To start, look at some of the latest wage statistics to get a baseline of where your salaries should be. Don't be surprised if the market expects higher, though. As a Deloitte survey shows, CFOs say they'll bebumping up salaries in 2022by around 5.2%. You can't afford to be the last business in your field to revise your pay scale.

No one has a crystal ball that can accurately predict all hiring surge trends and needs. However, by taking recent consumer habits into account, you can more confidently lay out a staffing roadmap for the foreseeable future.

Related:Should You Raise Your Employees' Pay?

Wavy Line
Brandon Blanton

Entrepreneur Leadership Network Contributor

Vice president of national client service operations at ISS

Brandon Blanton is the vice president of national client service operations at Integrity Staffing Solutions, a full-service staffing agency.

Editor's Pick

Related Topics

Business News

Report: Vanna White Hasn't Received a Pay Raise in 18 Years, Will Walk if Not Offered $4.5 Million More for 'Wheel of Fortune'

The news follows longtime host Pat Sajak's decision to retire after this season.

Growing a Business

Senior Executives Are Falling Behind The Digital Curve — Here's What It Takes to Stay Ahead.

Learn how to stay ahead of the digital curve with the top areas of digital transformation that all corporate leaders should know.

Business News

Kevin O'Leary Slams Anheuser-Busch CEO's Listening Tour, Says It Won't Stop Bud Light Backlash for One Huge Reason

Anheuser-Busch U.S. CEO Brendan Whitworth announced plans to hear consumers out this summer.

Business News

Netflix is Hiring an AI-Focused Role—and the Starting Salary is up to $900,000

The streaming giant is looking for a leader in its machine learning department.