Needs Analysis & Costs
Whatever the reason your vacancy exists – replacing a leaver or creating a new role – the recruitment cycle kicks off in the same way.
Many managers are quick to jump to fill a vacancy with a carbon-copy replacement. But the job description of your leaver may not accurately describe their responsibilities on departure. The vacancy’s creation is an ideal opportunity to reconsider the position in the context of your current and future business needs.
As well as assessing the needs of the recruitment exercise at an early stage it is also important to understand the costs that this exercise will incur. Understanding any expense that may occur may shape the way the recruitment exercise will be ran, or if it will be run at all.
Needs Analysis
- Is there a vacancy at all?
- What does the business demand with regard to this role and the team?
- Can some tasks be reassigned to other teams?
- Is this an opportunity to cut costs? Is the job title more senior than the actual responsibilities?
- Is this a Career Development move that could be offered?
Thinking ahead – in terms of attracting the best candidates – also consider:
- How this job might be adapted to provide visible and appealing future development prospects.
- The sort of person who would find that adapted job attractive and whether there are potential internal candidates.
- What useful experience a new recruit would gain.
Understanding the cost of recruitment
Measuring recruitment costs is an inexact science. There are many intangible costs associated with recruitment, such as management time taken up with briefing recruitment consultants or head hunters, drawing up job advertisements, interviewing (and second-interviewing) and negotiating offers. Your staff’s time may also be diverted from core duties as a result of a recruitment exercise – covering the work while the position remains vacant and meeting potential candidates at second-interview stage.
In addition to these intangible costs there are the actual monetary costs of external suppliers which could include marketing and advertising, assessment centres, test materials as well as many other possible costs.
Tools
Job analysis form – A proforma that outlines the key components of a job analysis.
Protocols for handling surplus staff situations – It is in the interests of the organisation and individuals to utilise any staff surplus in the organisation. Here is cabinet office guidance on dealing with surplus staff situations.