- If you had to pick to be overstaffed or understaffed, what would you choose and why?
First, I interviewed John an employer in sales and marketing business. He prefers understaffing mainly because he can hire more employees during boom and does not need to fire anyone, more so, it can lead to closure of business due to bankruptcy during low seasons.
Mary on the other hand in a nursing industry prefers being overstaffed because the workload is evenly and equally distributed and one can spare time to do other things.
- What strategies do you use to stay properly staffed?
First, by understanding the performance of your business seasons for instance peak and low seasons. Secondly, hiring more staff during peak season and less during low seasons and offering short-term contract as opposed to lengthy contracts. Lastly, I will adopt a flexible schedule that excuses most of the staff especially when the business is performing poorly.
- What is your policy on firing?
Considering that, most of modern employees are know their labor rights I tend to offer performance contract with set targets and only fire employees who perform below minimum target. Furthermore, I have included a seniority policy strategy where I release junior employees early as compared to senior ones.
- How do you manage space limitations with employee growth?
Growth in business means more staff and more space as such I have encouraged my employees to share desks and other equipments. I have also adopted an open layout office, which means economical use of open space.
- Tell me about a time you were understaffed and what you did to manage the team through that time.
I am in a marketing industry; a new entrant into the market poached almost half of my team. Sadly the peak season was on the way therefore I had to convince the remaining employees to add more hours and compensated them handsomely; I also had to offer them long contracts.
- What are the upsides of understaffing?
First, it makes people more efficient, less costly, low overhead charges and easy supervision and monitoring.
- What are the negative things about overstaffing?
Overstaffing leads to laxity at work place, it pays people who do not necessarily work and contributes to low morale at work.