RECRUITING 52 WEEKS A YEAR

RECRUITING 52 WEEKS A YEAR IS THE FUTURE - HR NEEDS TO CATCH UP

In the world of business, timing is often critical and core to the way in which businesses operate. Product launches, marketing campaigns, end of year reviews, and more operate on a timed basis; however, there is one area of business in which this should not apply. Recruiting should not be constrained by the time on a calendar. Why? There is zero correlation between the time you suddenly need to make a hire and when a qualified applicant is searching for a new job. Even though this is the reality, many companies are still dragging their feet, recruiting in fits and starts and hurries, not thinking ahead to keep a steady flow of talent at the ready. 

Reality Check: Your employees can leave at any time. 

An employee has every right to quit, move on, or make a change at any time. Due to this, as a business owner, you are perpetually vulnerable. This is a huge risk to the continuity and success of your business, so why on earth would you stop recruiting? Why would you settle for a situation where, if one of your key people leaves, you are scrambling to fill a crucial gap? Why expose yourself to unnecessary risk? 

It is time to change your recruiting mindset and start thinking about talent pipelines differently. HR needs to embrace a modern, continuous approach to hiring. 

DON’T STOP RECRUITING, BUILD A CORAL!

Imagine if you ran your finances the same way you ran recruiting? If you only filled in the gaps in your finances when something was broken or all of a sudden missing, your company’s performance would plummet almost instantly. However, there is a disconnect between this mindset in finances and in recruiting; yet, the same vulnerability and risk exists - many organizations are flying blind. 

A top notch, future-proofed recruiting strategy means having a constant corral of talent. You are always on the lookout, always in contact with potential candidates, and always prepared. Even with a full team that to you, as a business owner, believe is stable you do not halt your recruiting. In fact, when you are not in a crunch, this is when you are corralling your prospects and having key conversations with job-seekers and candidates. 

This idea can often get serious pushback from HR and even business owners, but what is more harmful to your company’s stability and longevity? Traditional HR thinking says, “We do not want to create the perception that the company isunstable or that we are looking to replace people,” but at what cost to your company does this thought pose a risk? You ought to always have top talent lined up so that you do not have to settle for whoever happens to be available at the last minute because someone left and suddenly you need to fill a gap. 

FLIP THE PERSPECTIVE: PROTECT YOUR TEAM & THE GROWTH OF THE COMPANY

It is time to flip the perspective: 

Recruiting 52 weeks a year is not about replacing people. 

Recruiting 52 weeks a year is about protecting your team and growing your company. 

As a business owner, you owe it to the people you have already invested into to bring in the best possible support and additions to their work and expertise so they are able to excel. Every single new hire can elevate your existing team, fill in skill gaps, and add energy. Do not think of recruiting as a function of turnover; think of it as a function of team health. A full, strong team will power a thriving business. Waiting to recruit when there is a gap is like waiting until you are out of gas to look for a gas station - do not do it, flip the perspective. 

CHANGE THE CULTURE: TALK ABOUT IT

Some business owners and managers hesitate to post a role if someone’s already in it. It feels uncomfortable and sneaky to many. But here’s the thing: if you can’t have an open conversation with your employee about why their role is posted, that’s a signal. You might not have the right person for that role. A strong employee understands that this approach isn’t about replacing them—it’s about ensuring the team can grow and adapt. It’s about creating a culture of transparency and mutual commitment, so change the culture and start the conversations. 

SHAKE UP THE HR WORLD

HR’s traditional model has been based on the idea of stability. Hire, train, retain—that’s been the formula for a long time. But the workplace has changed. People move on, technology shifts overnight, and the speed of business has increased exponentially. HR needs to move beyond the “fill the gap” mentality and see recruiting as a constant part of the company’s growth engine.

Shake things up - start viewing recruitment as a dynamic and proactive part of your strategy, not a reactive task. By recruiting year-round, you’re taking control. You’re not waiting for fate to deal you an unexpected hand. You’re building the team you need today, tomorrow, and in the future.

Business owners and HR need to embrace recruiting 52 weeks a year. If your company hasn’t tried it, start now. It will feel different, maybe even uncomfortable at first, but the payoff in team resilience and company growth will speak for itself.

Even more so, you do not want the tyranny of a vacant bench… more to come next time. 

If you have questions or want to talk more about this, send me an email at ronrex@ronrex.com or find me on LinkedIn and send me a message. Let's shake up the HR world together!