While I am a big believer in promoting from within – it’s essential, really, if you want to have any kind of cultural consistency over time, not to mention that it’s more economical – it’s nice to bring in new people to your AEC firm every once in a while.
Here’s what new employees coming from the outside can do for your organization:
- They bring new ideas. Sometimes when you deal with the same problems over and over you get stale. An outside perspective may get you out of that rut. New people coming from different backgrounds have new ideas. And some of those may be crucial to your success!
- They bring new energy and enthusiasm. Oftentimes people get stale and burned out. When they have a chance to get into a new environment and work around new people, they may be re-energized and re-motivated because of that. Not to mention they want to prove themselves in their new role and may work harder as a result.
- They bring new experience. They may have new ways of doing things that could have been developed and perfected working in another company. Those new experiences could benefit you and the rest of your people!
- They bring new appreciation for the organization. That’s something that is always nice to see. The new people tell the rest of the people that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side of the fence. And so much the better when they bring stories of no raises for years or selfish owners or bad Christmas parties or draconian policies from their old company!
- They bring other new employees. Everyone knows someone else from the last place they worked (or another place other than that). And these people may have talents that you need now or in the future. What a great recruitment resource your new employees can be!
- They bring new clients. This can be one of the best benefits from hiring new people from the outside. Sometimes clients are working with a company not because of the company but because of the individual. Whatever company employs this individual is the beneficiary.
The point is, even though you don’t want to do it EVERY time, there are lots of good reasons to hire from the outside. Maybe it’s time for new blood in your company.
Mark Zweig is Zweig Group’s chairman and founder. Contact him at mzweig@zweiggroup.com.
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