1. Beware the signs of burnout
Be careful that you’re not pushing people past their limits.
If team members keep telling you that it’s difficult (or impossible) to get all their work done, that’s a warning sign of too many responsibilities and not enough people to complete them.
Pay attention to nonverbal cues, too.
Have you noticed an uptick in the number of projects that aren’t getting finished? Are too many of them taking too long to execute? Is it tough for your team to set—and stick to—goals? Do ordinarily cheerful people seem stressed and irritable?
All these could be signs of employee burnout. If it’s not addressed, your employees could leave, increasing the pressure on those who remain and making your staffing situation even more problematic.
2. Saving money is costing you money
Sometimes waiting too long to hire (or not hiring at all) can wind up costing you money.
Let’s say you’re seeing an increase in overtime pay, or you have scheduling gaps and rely on the same few people to fill shifts—those are signs of an under-resourced team.
Overtime can get costly, and it’s not a long-term solution. In fact, it can increase the risk of burnout among overextended employees, who might seek a better work-life balance elsewhere.
When you lose an employee you also lose the skills and experience they brought to the job. The time taken to find a replacement costs you time and money. Meanwhile, you’re spending energy refilling a role, instead of finding the additional help you really need.
And if you’re turning down contracts because you don’t have the people to do the work? It’s going to be tough to grow your business. In situations like this, hiring someone can empower you to capitalize on opportunities and drive new revenue.
3. Customer service is slipping
The signs that it’s time to hire may not just be coming from your existing team. Do you see an increase in customer complaints about responsiveness and transaction quality? Are orders going unfulfilled or going out late?
Customers might be frustrated that no one is picking up the phone when they call, or clients may be starting to notice that more and more deadlines haven’t been met.
If this persists, then it’s a sign that you should hire people before the situation deteriorates and customers start to get really unhappy.
Adding new team members can help make sure that client emails don’t fall through the cracks and that customers receive timely responses.
4. Employees aren’t able to focus on their work
If you hired your employees for their unique skills and expertise but they’re spending too much time on administrative work, it may be time to consider bringing in someone to support your team.
Hiring an administrator can help an office run smoothly and efficiently and help specialized employees remain focused. Administrators help contribute to your company’s growth. In addition, they represent an investment in your company’s future.
Taking too long to hire or not hiring at all can be a mistake. Growing your team can help you grow your business, and when done strategically it can help you make more money too!
Learn more about how to make the perfect hire in The Hiring Handbook.
