Although our economy is in a process of recovery, economic growth in certain industries is projected to remain weak throughout the near future. Slow economic growth reflects slower business growth in regards to a company as well as its employees.  Where growth in new jobs is slow, hiring freezes are to be expected. While this may seem counterintuitive, there is a silver lining; hiring freezes can often lead to an increase in business productivity.

Achieving more with less or the same is no simple feat.  Raising productivity levels during a time of limited hiring is a skill to master, but it can and has been done. Consider adopting the following approaches if you are stuck in a hiring freeze and are looking to raise or maintain a certain level of productivity among your employees:

  • Minimize uncertainty. Whenever a hiring freeze is announced, many employees will begin lay-offs, in turn leading to uncertainty, worry, and reduced morale and productivity. The first necessary action is to prevent productivity from declining as a result of the announcement. Since every employee is different, engage with them on different levels, such as one-on-one meetings, team meetings, or an internal social network allowing employees to ask the business questions and receive public responses to have their concerns addressed.
  • Lead by example. Employees will take cues from their managers when it comes to determining the severity of a situation as well as what they should be committing. Give extra and your employees will be inspired and energized to do the same. Keep in mind that this also works in reverse, and showing fear or anxiety can be extremely damaging to the productivity and morale of the team as a whole. Remain committed to the cause and your workforce will follow.
  • Adjust goals. New goals tend to follow a hiring freeze and your business and individual employee goals may need to adjust and realign current targets in order to suit the new environment. Sometimes, long-term goals need to be pushed to the back burner to turn focus on the immediate, more critical goals. If done correctly, this new goal-setting approach can help motivate the team and sustain or even increase productivity as a whole.

Preventing a decline in morale is the first crucial step to maintaining productivity during a hiring freeze. Staffers, Inc. is equipped with a vast set of resources both for hiring as well as running a business when hiring is not an option. If you are looking for the best Jackson, Mississippi business tips, contact Staffers today!

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