Episode number:
2
Sustainable Growth And Hiring Readiness
Let's dive into the questions: Are we ready to scale? Should we even scale? What and whom do we need if we scale?
Let's dive into the questions: Are we ready to scale? Should we even scale? What and whom do we need if we scale?
Sustainable growth and hiring readiness are crucial yet often overlooked aspects of scaling a business. At its core, sustainable growth shifts the focus from short-term wins to long-term stability, where success is measured not just by financial performance, but also by factors like employee well-being, retention, and strategic hiring. Many companies make the mistake of prioritizing rapid expansion without considering the implications, leading to burnout, high turnover, and disorganized teams. So, why do you need it? Ignoring sustainable growth can throw your company into chaos, resulting in high employee churn, poor performance, and ultimately stalling your business’s ability to evolve.
A key component of sustainable growth is understanding when and how to scale your team. But how do you figure out if you’re truly ready to hire? It starts with asking your current team critical questions, such as:
- “If a new engineer joined next week, what would they work on?”
- “Who would be their mentor?”
- “What part of our architecture would they most struggle with?”
- “How long does it typically take to onboard to our architecture?”
- “How would we evaluate them for probation?”
These questions give you a clear picture of your team's current workload and capacity to integrate new members effectively. It’s not just about filling an open role, but making sure the new hire can be productive and add value without straining existing resources. When you ignore this assessment, it can lead to mis-hires, poor onboarding experiences, and a revolving door of talent.
One of the trickiest parts of hiring is clearly defining what kind of talent you actually need. Especially when searching for senior roles, the title "Senior Engineer" can mean different things depending on the company. A senior engineer could be an architect, a facilitator, or an executor, each bringing different skills and outcomes to the table.
You need to define what “Senior” means for your organization. Is your priority someone who can design robust systems, or someone who’s hands-on and can execute flawlessly? Having clarity here avoids the common pitfall of hiring someone with great experience but misaligned skills for your team's specific needs.
One important principle to follow is: "Don’t hire what you can’t handle." This phrase, coined by Robert Heygate, Engineering Manager at Birdie, highlights the importance of scaling at a pace your team can manage. Over-hiring without a solid plan can lead to chaos. It's tempting to bulk up the team when business is booming, but each new hire requires onboarding, mentorship, and time to become productive.
High employee turnover is a red flag for unsustainable growth. It often stems from a mismatch between role expectations and reality, unclear definitions of excellence, or poor onboarding practices. When companies rush to hire without having clear success metrics or well-structured onboarding processes, they risk creating frustration both for the new hire and the team. Preparing your onboarding process and aligning expectations from the recruitment phase can mitigate much of this churn.
For example, if your job descriptions aren’t aligned with what you truly need or if you're unclear about what excellence looks like in a role, you’ll end up with employees who feel disengaged or underutilized. Structured onboarding, defined performance metrics, and ongoing mentorship are all key to reducing turnover.
Economic downturns or business stagnation often make companies rethink their hiring strategy. In tough times, hiring freezes are common, but these moments can also provide opportunities to rethink your team’s structure and approach. Are there gaps in your team's skillset that will become critical once the market picks back up? Could cross-training or upskilling your current team meet the needs instead of hiring externally?
Moreover, hiring during stagnation or recession requires even greater clarity around role expectations and contribution. When budgets are tight, every hire needs to have a measurable impact on the company’s goals. One common mistake is holding off on hiring too long, which can lead to being understaffed and unable to recover quickly when opportunities arise again. The key is striking the right balance—hiring strategically to fill crucial gaps without overextending resources.
In summary, sustainable growth and hiring readiness require thoughtful planning, clear expectations, and well-defined roles. By focusing on long-term success, aligning hiring needs with actual team capacity, and ensuring robust onboarding processes, you can avoid the pitfalls of unsustainable scaling. And remember, it's not just about growing your team—it’s about growing it the right way, with the right people, at the right time.
