Recruitment planning for architecture firms and design studios

Anticipating future hiring needs can be challenging for an architecture firm or design studio. Right now, you might need a crystal ball to help finalise the blueprints that will win this year’s industry award. By the next quarter, you’ve lost a client or two and have started looking closely at payroll costs to see where you can apply cost-savings.

Even if you’re (hopefully) not grappling with such extreme scenarios, the truth is that employers can always benefit from recruitment planning, even before new vacancies materialise.

Take, for example, a project on the scale of the Olympic Games, which is coming to Brisbane in 2032. At Bespoke Careers, we’re expecting a wave of hiring demand to hit the architecture and design market in the lead-up to the Games. As a multitude of architect and design professionals will be essential to the success of the Games project, there will be plenty of groundwork underway across our global network, including our Brisbane office, to help those talent plans come to fruition.

Whether you have a large project on the horizon or not, the need to recruit employees will fluctuate at times. Having good practices and strategies in place can help you be more agile when new staffing requirements arise.

Lean into contractors and hire temporary staff

Having access to a vetted network of contractors is one of the main ways businesses maintain agility in an uncertain market. When you’re not sure what revenue growth will look like in the next three to six months, or even beyond that, hiring people for permanent roles can be a difficult proposition. Yet it’s a fact of life that existing employees will take annual leave that needs covering, while projects must be delivered.

Hiring temporary staff can give you access to people with highly specialised skill sets who are ready to start at short notice, without the rigmarole of notice periods and salary negotiations. If you’re in need of short-term cover to get critical work done, connect with us to access our network of pre-qualified contractors.

Iron out kinks in your processes

Most companies don’t have a perfect recruitment process. However, it’s important to understand the effect that a disorganised process can have on your employer brand.

The greatest risk is when you need to hire a new employee in a hurry and overlook a few basics, which is likely to make a bad impression on candidates and new employees – hardly an ideal situation. Here are a few areas to pay attention to in your recruitment planning:

Understanding job requirements and stakeholders

Periods of business slowdown present opportunities to plan for future hires. Part of this planning could involve identifying the types of roles you expect to recruit for in future, their duties, responsibilities, and KPIs. Who will they report to, and who is responsible for the final hiring decision?  Being clear on all these points will help you recruit more efficiently.

When you have clarity about the position, outline a career progression plan. When you start recruiting, you will be able to show candidates that the role isn’t a reactionary hire, but a strategic and long-term decision.

Onboarding new employees

Before you start hiring, outline a game plan for onboarding new staff. Poor onboarding can be a real downer for new employees, with one survey indicating that 80% of employees plan to quit their jobs soon after joining due to feeling under-trained during their onboarding period.

Other issues, such as delays in providing a successful candidate with an offer letter or employment contract are just as critical in this equation. For tips on how to create a positive onboarding experience, read our guide here.

Update Critical Paperwork

Ensure that your offer letters and employment contracts are updated with the latest information and comply with current laws. This enables you to send accurate and legally compliant documents to candidates. It’s crucial that new hires have access to this information and understand any recent changes. Having all these elements prepared and ready to go streamlines the hiring process and prevents any delays.

Keep your collaborators on the same page

Have a conversation with your architecture and design recruitment partner to discuss your plans for the next six months. This allows them to help you prepare effectively.

When clients come to us with potential hiring plans for the next quarter or beyond, we can start compiling hot lists and shortlists of suitable candidates and engage with them about upcoming opportunities. This way, when you’re ready to hire, the groundwork is already done, and you can quickly introduce top talent to your organisation.

Remove uncertainty for candidates

In an uncertain market, that amazing candidate you’re chasing might need more reassurance than usual about leaving their current role.

Don’t hesitate to communicate your company’s stability and the legitimacy of the role, even if you think you don’t need to. Candidates can feel more confident in making a career move when they know the position is secure.

To alleviate uncertainty, it might also help to offer additional incentives, such as six-month pay reviews, covering professional registration fees, or other investments in their personal and professional development.

Don’t ‘set and forget’ your recruitment and hiring plan

No business remains static, and neither should its recruitment and hiring plan. Regular reviews of hiring processes and forecasting are the keys to good workforce planning – and reducing potential headaches.

Architecture and design recruitment with a global reach

Having a dedicated architecture and design recruitment team working at your side can help you plan for all kinds of hiring ups and downs. For authentic and knowledgeable support in hiring for your team, please reach out to me or the team at Bespoke Careers.

We have decades of combined experience in helping businesses hire junior and senior architects, interior designers, landscape architects, product interiors professionals, and more. We’d love to help you get it right – contact us today!