Most businesses will agree that staffing is their greatest investment – or expense, for those non-HR folks. wink But how can the number of staff be decided? Is there such a thing as being ‘optimally staffed’?

I was recently talking with Sherry, our Senior VP of Operations. She wants Verity to develop a more scientific method in determining staffing needs for each branch/department. It comes down to this:

“If you had to start with zero staff, how would you determine the number of staff you need?”

In my role as a recruiter, it’s (relatively) easy to fill an open position. But to take a step back and question if the position is necessary is a whole other ball game. We want to create an environment where we can develop staff. To facilitate these opportunities it usually requires that we have more staff, thereby ensuring quality service to our members. On the other hand, if a branch/department is overstaffed then we have the challenge of keeping everyone fully engaged, without a lot of ‘down time’.

Can someone give me an easy answer?