The typical trend for hiring in Q4 and during the holiday season is to slow or even stop the hiring process. People are traveling, focusing on holiday parties and spending time with loved ones, and planning for the new year. So, why should you continue to hire (or even ramp up) during the final months of the year?
Keep your momentum
Hiring decisions take time, and if you table the process until the new year, it may be well into Q1 before any final interviews or job offers can be made. Plus, continuing to move forward with the hiring process during the holidays allows you to get ahead of the hiring boom that tends to occur in the beginning of the year when candidates, clients, and employees are diving back into the hustle and bustle of a new year.
A better onboarding environment
Work tends to slow down during the holidays, which offers companies more time to focus on evaluating candidates and interviewing. With that, employees likely have additional time to help with training and getting new hires up to speed. The onboarding process is a critical time period in the life of an employee because it sets the tone for their experience with the company. The more time you can devote to thorough and valuable onboarding, the better new hires will feel about their integration into the workplace.
January is also one of the most hectic times of year to onboard new employees. Leadership within the company is typically inundated with starting new projects, strategizing financially, and securing new clients, ultimately giving them minimal time to hire and train. This can be a recipe for low productivity and poor employee satisfaction.
Boost workplace morale
The end of the year is a perfect time to boost employee morale and connectedness with all the holiday parties, company events, and other get togethers going on. Bringing on new employees during this time allows them the opportunity to get to know new co-workers in a casual environment outside of the workplace as well as get both new and existing employees excited about upcoming plans for the new year.
Top talent goes quick
It’s never a good idea to hire without thoughtful consideration, but it’s also important not to wait too long. Particularly in the tech sector, candidates are in high demand, and they won’t wait for a company that is too slow to act. Even if you have a very enticing offer, many of your competitors will as well.
Invest, induct, and reap the rewards in Q1
We all appreciate how time consuming the onboarding process is, but by investing now and introducing your new hire to the business in December, you can spend this time completing their induction, health and safety processes, and compulsory training modules. By tackling the training this side of the new year, your hire will be ready to go, full guns blazing come January. If you need a candidate that can offer innovation alongside entrepreneurship and fresh ideas, get them in the door now so they can add value to your company vision.
