Labour Shortages: quite possibly the most accurate words to sum up 2023 thus far.
There hasn’t been a time in recent history where it has been so challenging to get and retain skilled staff. The pressures to meet workplace and production demands can result in the need to hire very fast.
The question is, can someone recruit quickly and wisely?
1. Match the right people with the right roles.
Unfortunately, we have heard too many stories where businesses have recruited quickly, hired individuals that on paper could do the job, only to place them in a role that aggravates and exacerbates a pre-existing injury, that the workplace had no idea existed!
Hearing comments like “My back hasn’t hurt like this since I injured it at my last workplace lifting boxes,” is worrying for any employer to hear, specifically when it comes out of left field. Workplaces have a duty of care to ensure a safe workplace for all, having all the information at your disposal can significantly help in protecting the personal safety of all staff and achieving positive business objectives.
2. Justify all your decisions with data and risk profiles.
It’s always easier to make a decision when you have specific, detailed data and information right in front of you. It is imperative that you have a snapshot of an individual’s physical condition and how it affects the inherent duties of the role they are applying for.
Are there any injuries that they previously or currently have that may reduce their ability to undertake the role safely?
Would specific tasks increase any risk of exacerbation or injury?
What is the risk profile for this individual to undertake this role?
Is the individual able to safely undertake all the tasks and duties as detailed in the Job Dictionary?
If you don’t know the answers to these questions - are you confident you are ready to hire?
3. Go slow, to go fast.
It may seem like a counter intuitive statement; however, you are far better by taking your time at the start before you offer someone a role then trying to patch things as you go and metaphorically building the plane as you fly it. We have seen time after time just how imperative it is to ensure you get that complete picture and risk profile of a new recruit, before hiring them. This way you can feel confident inducting the individual and expecting a smooth transition into the company, with optimum personal safety and productivity.
4. Don’t Go it Alone, Partner To Achieve Optimum Results.
The best outcomes are achieved when genuine partnerships are fostered. Partners with strategically aligned goals can streamline the recruitment process and accelerate positive outcomes.
Summit Industry Health Pre-Employment Medical Screens are completed in less than an hour at your worksite. The assessor will establish the physical ability of any potential recruit and establish their risk profile against the inherent demands of the role. Our reports and post assessment debrief, will leave you with all the information needed to make an informed decision about their future in your organisation.
For more information or to discuss how we can support you, Contact us here.