Who should I recruit to encourage growth?

Growth is the main driver for most businesses, influencing nearly every decision they make. For companies limited in their recruitment resources, either due to budget constraints or headcount freezes, this can become a struggle. 

In these cases, it's important to hire for positions with direct influence over the company's future to allow growth to continue no matter what. 

What position should you hire for?

Management plays a vital role in the success of any organisation, possessing the ability to either encourage or reduce growth depending on how well they control their staff. According to recruitment specialist Hays, middle-management in particular is the most important department of any business looking to grow. 

Hays acknowledges that recruiting for these positions can be difficult, whether you are replacing existing personnel or opening up this tier for the first time. One of the main difficulties involves allowing them to have enough independence so company founders – particularly in small businesses – do not need to have as much involvement. 

"As the company grows it can simply become too much for that one person to carry out the duties they once did," explained Managing Director Nick Deligiannis. 

"Bringing in a new level of management to deal with the operational side of the business will help them to continue concentrating on the areas they specialise in and that have made the company a success to date."

For companies taking this step for the first time, there are certain issues that need to be kept in mind. A company's future structure should at least be outlined before the recruitment process begins, ensuring that new managers get the stability they need to operate effectively. 

This doesn't mean the structure cannot adapt further down the line, just that there needs to be focus during the hiring process. 

Hays also believes that businesses should not lose sight of the attributes that got them to where they are in the first place. New managers should reflect the founders' goals and help the business to become successful.