The Secret to Staffing Strategically That Will Help You Build a High-Performing Team
Assembling a team that drives success can be one of the most challenging tasks for a business owner. Whether you're running a small business or managing a growing company, the ability to recruit, retain, and staff strategically can make or break your business.
Your people could be your biggest asset or your greatest limiting factor. If you want to build a high-performing team, you’ll need to configure one that maximizes your calendar, provides great service to your clients, and gets the results. In this article, we’ll explore the intricacies of building a team, from understanding your needs to optimizing your staffing strategy.
Table of Contents:
The Competencies You Need to Deliver Value
If You Have People Problems, This Might Be Why
Case Study: From 3 - 16 Practicing Physiotherapists
Staffing Strategically: Flexibility vs. Full-Time Positions
Aligning Your Team to the Business Strategy
Building Your Team like a Puzzle
The Competencies You Need to Deliver Value
When we look at “people” problems in an organization, our first step is to scan way out.
It is important to understand what you are asking of people. Many business owners want unicorns in every position that can flex up and down to skill sets and do way more than the average person can do. Scanning way out allows you to define the goals you have for each role and focus on staffing strategically to achieve those goals.
Start by asking:
What problem do I solve for who?
What is the value of solving it?
What is the capability I have in my business that allows me to deliver that value?
Then, what are the competencies I require and how much of each competency?
And finally, what do the qualities of an effective team look like for my specific business and its needs?
Until you build a competency framework, understand the different skills you require, and how you’re going to bring those skills together to execute value for the client, people will always present staffing challenges for your business.
If You Have People Problems, This Might Be Why…
Lacking a clear articulation of the competencies you require to deliver value and the way you bring them together often leads to a feeling of conflict within your team.
You will have over-skilled people who are not happy with their pay and/or under-skilled people who can’t deliver what you need them to deliver. And it’s not their fault. As a business owner, you need to see a clear map of your required competencies to leverage every possible resource available to you. Staffing strategically will align the skills of your team with the overarching goals of the business.
The Art and Science of Building a High-Performing Team
Building a high-performing team is both art and science. You’ll have more experienced individuals coming in that can only do certain skills, you’ll have less experienced people who want to learn but don’t quite have the skills. It needs to be broken down into a modular approach.
Start by considering how your revenue is generated through which services.
Then, what skills do you need to bring together to deliver those services? What are the qualities of an effective team to deliver the best value to your clients?
How many of those skills do you need in hours?
What is the amount of flex you need to account for the ebbs and flows?
Often, staffing challenges and frustrations for you and your people stem from failing to map this out. Once you do, you’ll see a thousand ways to build a high-performing team for your organization.
How to Hire Strategically to Optimize Service Delivery
For service businesses, like a physical therapy clinic, it’s crucial to find balance between hiring for direct service delivery and the functions that keep the operation running smoothly.
At the core, you have your own skills as a physical therapist, but to scale effectively, you'll likely employ other therapists who will fill their calendars with appointments. Beyond the therapists themselves, your team will include support staff—those who handle administrative operations, scheduling, and client communications. In some cases, sales and marketing roles might also be necessary, though in smaller setups, these functions may be combined with front desk duties.
How do you determine the right timing for bringing in support staff versus expanding your team of service providers?
Consider the full lifecycle of an appointment. It starts with a potential client contacting you via phone or email to book an appointment. They might need to fill out a form, particularly for initial consultations. This information then needs to be processed by the physiotherapist to develop a treatment plan. Following this, the client will book subsequent appointments and return for further sessions.
Each step involves discrete tasks—scheduling, client interaction, administrative support, and maintenance of clinic operations like cleaning treatment rooms.
To manage your team efficiently, you need to quantify the time each task takes and match it to the volume of appointments. For example, if one physical therapist handles 20 to 30 appointments per week, or if you have a setup where a therapist and two assistants handle 120 appointments weekly, you need to account for all associated tasks. This approach helps in determining the required staffing levels without overcomplicating the situation.
Staffing Strategically: Flexibility vs. Full-Time Positions
Once you’ve analyzed how many hours are needed for each task, you can determine whether it’s more cost-effective to pay a higher hourly rate for fewer hours or to commit to a full-time employee.
One of the most common staffing challenges we see comes from hiring too quickly and heavily. This puts financial strain on the business, especially during growth. Instead of full-time hires, consider part-time or flexible roles that can handle multiple functions. For instance, a front desk person could also assist with room cleaning or administrative tasks, reducing the need for additional support staff.
Often, paying a higher rate for part-time or flexible workers can be more economical than hiring full time staff for roles that require less coverage. This is particularly relevant if you’re balancing between two and three full-time equivalent (FTE) positions.
If you find it challenging to find part-time workers willing to fill more specialized roles, try making the part-time positions more attractive. Clearly define the benefits and flexibility of these roles to appeal to segments of the workforce that prefer or need part-time work. For instance, many semi-retirees might not want to commit to a full 40 hours and there is a growing movement for more flexible jobs that cater to parents who need to balance their family responsibilities.
Aligning Your Team to the Business Strategy
Effective staffing is closely tied to the business’ strategic path. Start by identifying the critical issues that need to be addressed to achieve your business goals. This could involve improving service delivery, enhancing marketing efforts, or optimizing operational processes. Focus on these key areas and align your team’s capabilities and efforts accordingly.
It’s crucial for your team to be involved in this strategic process. When everyone is on the same page regarding business objectives and their role in achieving them, you foster a sense of commitment and collaboration. Ensure that your team understands the bigger picture and how their individual contributions support the overall strategy.
Conclusion - Building Your Team Like a Puzzle
You need to view building your team like a puzzle you’re solving - one that evolves as your business grows. At different stages, the configuration will change, and you’ll need to adjust your staffing strategy accordingly. Identifying the gaps and finding ways to creatively address them continuously is key.
Carefully plan and align your hires with your current and anticipated needs to build a team that supports both effective service delivery and operational efficiency. With this modular approach to building an effective team, you can address staffing challenges and propel your business to new heights.