In recruiting there is a lot of talk about finding the right “fit”. People that have similar values to the organization and who will fit in with the company culture. And while this is valid and true, sometimes it pays to shake things up a little.

Senior managers in particular tend to hire people they like and who are similar to them. And it certainly makes it a more pleasant working environment to be surrounded with people with whom you have a lot in common. But if everyone thinks the same and wants to keep doing things the traditional way, it stifles innovation, discourages creativity and creates a comfort zone that is difficult to break out of.

What can make a difference? 

If the past 2 years have shown us anything in the construction industry it’s that more diversity is needed. Diversity in terms of people and expertise, but also diversity in thinking. And this is where the value of interims really comes to the fore.

Interims are typically people with specific expertise – change management and turnarounds, for example – that can come in and make the hard decisions. They bring a fresh perspective, untainted by long standing relationships within the organization or outdated policies and procedures. They can look at a situation for what it is and identify what needs to change. And because interims come with a track record of success, they can be trusted that they know what they’re doing.

With permanent recruitment, onboarding takes time. But with interims, they hit the ground running. After a brief introduction to teams and the operation they are able to immediately get to work on solving the most critical issues at hand. They don’t need training, they come with years of expertise and experience. They know the industry, they know people, and they know how to get things to work better than they have been.

The current downturn in the construction industry is concerning. Month after month output is down, compounded by news of profit warnings, administrations, layoffs and closures. It is clear that main contractors need to start working differently and it’s probably going to take more than their current teams to make this happen.

There’s a wealth of senior expertise available to the industry in the form of interims. People who have the confidence, experience and expertise to be able to implement the change that is needed. Call us at Ellis Fox on 020 7183 0255 to discuss your immediate business needs and we will be able to help you find the interim that can make a real difference to your business.

To find out more about hiring interims watch the short video below: