Effective staffing strategies you may not have considered

If you are reading this, we're guessing that you're struggling to staff up. We get it, there's a lot to consider and some needs pop up, seemingly at random. If you've tried everything you can think of, maybe one of our staffing strategies ideas can help you reach your goals.

Let's start by talking about one of the biggies: seasonal hiring woes.

Lean into seasonal relationship-building

Seasonal staffing doesn't have to be a headache. While some people will not want to return after one season, others will. The deeper the relationship you establish with seasonal workers, the more likely they will be to return. Here are some people you can start talking to:

• Parents around holidays that need additional funds.
• College students at the beginning of their college experience who return during breaks. Also, college students who may want to move from their seasonal role into a long-term one eventually.
• Vacationers who come to the same area every year, and may want extra spending money.
• School-year hires who may be able to fill in limited gaps in your schedules, helping to boost the bottom line.

Overall, treat people well, pay them well and signal your intention to keep hiring them to keep your seasonal needs low.

Embrace hiring forecasting

Too often, businesses are reactive when it comes to hiring. If you consider your needs for a year or more, it is less likely you will come up short at the last minute. To begin forecasting, complete a business needs inventory.

Think about your business's objectives, the scope of related work you need to accomplish, what skills are needed to achieve it and conduct assessments of your current team.¹ This will help you find and fill holes proactively.

How to proceed with hiring forecasting

1. If the skills exist in-house, move people around to more effective spots.
2. If you can teach the necessary skills, do so!
3. If you need to seek out other skills, be sure they are absolutely necessary and not a "nice-to-have." Wish lists are lovely, but not 100% important to business achievement.

Consider now and then

It is expected that you have immediate hiring needs, but thinking about what you will need in the future is just as important. This is how businesses can become sustainable and successful.

Help employees stay on your team

At any moment, your best team members could leave you. It's scary, but true. Did you know that "51% of people are watching for or actively seeking a new job"³? Beyond that, "1 in 2 U.S. employees are open to leaving their organization."³

Hiring leaders like you are aware of this problem. In the U.S., they "expect employee turnover to rise to 50% in 2026, up from 39% in fall 2024."⁵

Clearly, this problem needs attention. Follow our formula to get moving:

Surface professional development options

Whether you have a formal program in place to help employees advance or you pair team members with mentors, letting them take full advantage of their skills or move toward a more aligned role can make them more efficient and happier.

Pay people well

"Pay/Benefits is the most common single reason employees left their job in 2024, yet it was identified only 16% of the time."–Gallup

The Pay/Benefits reason was followed by personal reasons, relocation, direct supervisor/manager or senior leadership, advancement and development or career opportunities.³ If your compensation is competitive and you follow their other concerns closely, they will be loyal.

Ask people questions

While you can certainly conduct "stay interviews," asking ongoing questions about employee fulfillment can limit the need to do so. If you are concerned with their well-being and happiness, and you take action to help them be their best, more people will stay.

Promote from within

The benefits of internal hiring are numerous! It's great for morale, it can be more affordable than other outreach methods and it can boost your employer brand reputation because everyone wants to work somewhere that has the potential to be a long-term fit.

Plus, junior roles are much easier to fill than mid or senior-level ones. Win!

Talk about what matters where and when it matters

According to Gallup, people in the U.S. are looking for greater work-life balance and better personal wellbeing and stability and job security above all else when seeking new employment. Highlight those things on your website, in interviews and in job descriptions.³

Build on your individual business's success

Not every staffing strategy will work for every business. Note what works and dial that up as far as you can. That lever will help you grow and thrive.

Developing staffing strategies that work for your specific business can be a challenge, but once you have them in place, they're highly repeatable. Build a system that helps you be less likely to be short on the people you need.

Are you still a little worried about where to start? Beacon Hill's experts are known for hiring top-notch individuals, but they also know how to recruit full teams. No matter the need, small or large, we're here to take charge.

Sources and inspiration

1. Staffing Success: Effective Strategies For Long-Term Workforce Planning
2. What Is a Staffing Plan and How to Create One That Works?
3. Employee Retention & Attraction
4. U.S. Worker Thriving Declines as Job Market Pessimism Grows
5. US hiring leaders expect rising turnover, costs in 2026

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