Why hiring in January 2021 is too late
As we approach the end of 2020, a year that has been unforgettable, and the winding down for the festive period begins, businesses have started the planning and preparation for the new year with anticipation of getting back to normality.
The unpredictability of 2020 has led to many employers reassessing their hiring plans, with the optimistic outlook for 2021, many companies feel sure that candidates will start looking for a new job in the new year with a ‘new year, new start’ mentality.
However, before the year draws to a close, there is still a great opportunity to make one final push before Christmas and secure your candidates now. Here are for 4 key reasons to start ahead of the festive period:
1. Get ahead of your competition
Since your competitors will likely start interviewing in January, hiring in advance gives you an opportunity to attract a pool of talent that isn’t being engaged. They’re open to new employment, available to be picked up for their excellent array of skills – and you’re the only one looking for them. You can capitalize on the delayed approach of your competitors by being active now, be the early bird that gets the best worm.
Companies hiring in January must also be extra-competitive with job offers and move at the speed of light to even get a shot at securing their preferred candidates. Come January, you’ll be calmly conducting inductions while they’re frantically finding time to interview. Hiring now also means you won’t be competing with newly released budgets in Q1.
Arranging interview times should also be a pretty straightforward process for the early birds, since it’s generally easier to grab an afternoon off work in November or December than in January. You don’t want to miss out on a great potential employee because their availability is limited.
2. Integration – it’s a great time to get settled
If you hire someone to start during the winter season, the lucky candidate will be starting at the best possible time; with lots of festive cheer on the horizon and lots of social occasions to sink their teeth into and use as a great opportunity to integrate into company life smoothly. Although right now this might mean having lots of zoom parties, the overall effect remains the same.
Not only will your new hire think they’ve landed their dream job, especially given the current economic climate, but it’ll also take a lot of strain off the rest of the team; there’ll be more time for you to train the new hire and have him/her ready to jump in the deep end at the beginning of January. You’ll also avoid teething problems that could negatively impact your other employees.
This approach helps you have a fully trained, well integrated and settled employee who can hit the ground running come the new year.
3. Budgets – use it before you lose it
Something else to bear in mind is that due to the upheaval of events this year with Covid-19, you likely haven’t hired as aggressively in Q1 and Q2 as you may have done in previous years which could mean you have some budget left.
If that’s the case, then all the more reason to make the most of remaining budget and use it now before you lose it and the year ends – get your hires made by December and start 2021 with a fresh budget intact.
4. Time – now is the best time to act
As the end of the year approaches and business begin to wind down, you can make use of the time as a great opportunity to complete your hiring objectives and fill it with interviewing and onboarding.
With a new year comes new responsibility and new tasks to add to our list. Why not focus your attention on hiring now, instead of leaving it for the new year rush when you have new priorities to tackle after the Christmas break. With your objectives met for the year, you can realign your focus more intently on your other business priorities when 2021 comes around.
So, if you’re currently thinking about your hiring strategy for 2021, now is the time to get the wheels in motion. Get started on identifying candidates for the roles you want to fill – the impact come January resonates throughout the year and is well worth the extra work before Christmas.
Please contact ConSol Partners for all your hiring needs this winter season (and the rest of the year), by emailing contact@consolpartners.com