What does backfill mean?

Backfilling refers to hiring someone to replace a current employee who leaves their position. It can be a temporary or permanent replacement. For example, if a team member gets promoted, retires or joins another company, your new backfill hire becomes a permanent replacement.On the other hand, if an employee takes an extended leave of absence or needs to manage a new project or department for a short time, the backfill would be temporary.

Backfilling position situations

Organizations backfill a position for several different reasons. Specific situations that commonly lead to backfilling include:

• Resignations: When an employee gives their two-weeks notice to leave the company, you may need to backfill the position to cover their duties.
• Retirements: When an employee retires, their position may need to be backfilled by a new hire or an internal transfer.
• Terminations: If an employee is terminated, their position may need to be backfilled to maintain workflow and productivity.
• Extended leave: Some employees take an extended leave of absence due to illness, injury, the birth of a child or personal reasons. Members of the military reserves might be deployed for a certain period.If you can’t go too long without someone in their position, you can backfill the role temporarily.
• Internal role change: Promotions or lateral moves can leave employees’ previous roles vacant. For instance, if you promote a junior accountant to a mid-level accountant role, you need to find someone to fill the vacant junior position.
• Temporary duty switch: In some cases, an employee temporarily takes on a larger project that takes them away from their current job duties.. They might spearhead the opening of a new branch until it’s up and running smoothly, for instance. In their absence, you may need to hire a temporary replacement.

Why backfilling a position is helpful

Having a backfilling strategy in place means you can fill job openings quickly. Backfillinghas many positive impacts on your business, including:

• Continuity of tasks: Losing a team member may mean a delay in completing their tasks. By backfilling the position quickly, you can reduce the downtime for the duties of the position.
• Less strain on current employees: Until you fill the role, the duties often fall on other team members. This can stretch them thin or force them to work overtime. Transitioning a new team member into the role quickly allows the rest of the team to return to their usual duties.
• Cost savings: A temporary backfill may also save money by shortening the recruitment time and decreasing the amount of overtime you have to pay the rest of the team.

3 ways to backfill a position

If you need to backfill a position, you may want to hire a permanent employee. Alternatively, you can use other methods for a temporary solution. Temporary options work well if the employee will only be gone for a certain period of time.

You might also choose a temporary option if you’re filling a high-level position and need time to take a more thorough recruiting approach. For example, if a high-level executive resigns, you might appoint an interim replacement while you conduct an extensive candidate search. The following options can fill the gap temporarily.

Manager fill-ins

If the manager or a group of managers has the capacity to handle the duties temporarily, this can solve your problem. This option might work well if you’re filling a supervisory role or another position with sensitive or critical duties. Make sure the fill-in duties don’t detract the manager(s) from their regular responsibilities.

Temp agencies

Using a temp agency can help you fill a role quickly as they may be able to find qualified candidates who are ready to work. You can choose a specialized temp agency if you’re hiring for a technical role. Having them on a temporary basis initially allows you to conduct a trial run to see how they fit with the team.

Contract employees

Another temporary solution is using freelance or contract workers. These workers are independent contractors rather than employees of your company. Contractors typically have expertise in a particular area, such as bookkeeping or copywriting. This means they can jump in relatively quickly since they’re well-versed in the role.You can specify a time period for them to handle the workload based on your needs.

Best practices for backfilling a position

You can improve your backfilling efforts with these tips:

• Practice proactive recruiting: By using proactive recruiting practices, you create a pipeline of potential candidates who already want to work for your company. This engagement can help move them into positions quickly when you need to backfill a role.
• Know your needs: Identify the most crucial qualifications for the role to ensure you find a good fit. Some skills or duties can be taught easily while others are important to already have in a candidate.
• Anticipate vacancies: You can’t always anticipate when someone might leave, but some departures are predictable. Communicate with your team regularly to gauge their job satisfaction. Talk to employees about their retirement plans so you know when they might leave the workforce. This helps you plan for backfilling needs.
• Check the budget: Your budget for backfilling a position can help you choose the best option. For example, you might decide that using a temp agency is the most affordable option for a temporary situation.
• Streamline your processes: Have specific procedures in place for every step of the recruiting and hiring process. This helps your hiring managers and HR team move candidates through the process faster and shortens the time to backfill a position.

FAQs about backfilling a position

What is the difference between hiring and backfilling?

Backfilling specifically refers to filling a position vacated by a current employee and could happen for a number of reasons. You’re finding a replacement for an employee, whether they’re taking another position within your company or leaving. Hiring, in general, means finding candidates to fill positions. These could be existing positions or new roles that you’re creating.

Should you use the previous job description when you backfill a position or write a new one?

Each time you fill a position, you have the chance to refine your job descriptions. Your business is constantly evolving, which often means making small changes to current job duties and expectations. In some cases, previous job descriptions are outdated or don’t reflect the true nature of the roles. These changes might also affect which duties you assign to a backfill position. Review job description details and update them as necessary for a more accurate overview.