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  • Why Retention Matters More Than Hiring During a Growth Phase

    Why Retention Matters More Than Hiring During a Growth Phase

    When a company enters a growth phase, the first instinct is usually hire fast, hire more. It sounds exciting. Growth equals expansion, right? But what often gets overlooked in all that buzz is this: if you’re growing but losing people just as fast as you’re hiring, you’re not really moving forward. You’re on a treadmill.

    And that treadmill is expensive.

    The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) reports that the average cost per hire is over $4,700, but when you factor in soft costs like time to fill, onboarding lag, and lost productivity? It could climb as high as $20,000 per employee. That’s a steep price to pay when you’re trying to scale efficiently.

    More importantly, growth without retention is a recipe for cultural chaos. New hires walk into unclear roles, stressed teams, and little continuity. Leaders feel stuck in fire-fighting mode, always onboarding but never optimizing.

    So, what if retention, not hiring, is your actual growth strategy?

    Let’s explore why focusing on keeping great talent might be the smartest move your company can make right now.

    The Hidden Costs of Churn During Growth

    Growth naturally introduces change, but when employees are exiting just as quickly as they’re entering, your business starts to bleed, financially and culturally.

    1. Turnover Costs Add Up Fast

    Every time someone leaves, it triggers a cascade: job ad spend, recruiter time, interview prep, onboarding, and training. According to Work Institute’s Retention Report, turnover can cost as much as 33% of an employee’s annual salary (Work Institute). Multiply that by several roles, and you’re suddenly funding a revolving door instead of fueling growth.

    2. Productivity Drops, Morale Follows

    Think about your best employees. What happens when they spend half their week training new hires or covering for yet another exit? Burnout creeps in. Gallup found that only 21% of employees strongly agree their performance is managed in a way that motivates them to do outstanding work, and frequent turnover only worsens this gap.

    You’re not just losing people. You’re losing time, knowledge, relationships, and the kind of stability that makes a team actually high-performing.

    3. Team Dynamics Get Disrupted

    Imagine building a house and changing contractors every two weeks. The plans keep shifting. The style changes. Deadlines get messy. That’s what churn feels like for teams, especially during high-growth periods. Science Direct notes that team familiarity is one of the biggest drivers of performance, especially in fast-paced or high-stakes environments.

    When people stay longer, they build rhythm, trust, and context. That’s what drives real momentum not just more bodies in chairs.

    Retention as a Multiplier for Productivity and Trust

    Retention isn’t just a warm-fuzzy HR stat, it’s a performance amplifier. Keeping your best people not only saves money but builds an internal flywheel of excellence.

    1. Experience Compounds

    Think about someone who’s been with your company for three years. They know the unspoken processes. They’ve solved recurring problems. They mentor others without being asked. That level of institutional knowledge isn’t something you can replace with a quick hire.

    In fact, McKinsey points out that companies with high retention rates tend to have stronger mentorship pipelines and better team cohesion, both essential for sustainable scaling.

    2. Trust Builds Speed

    Retention also builds the one thing every scaling company craves: speed. Teams that trust each other don’t second-guess intentions or waste time re-explaining decisions. According to Google’s Project Aristotle, psychological safety, a byproduct of long-term team familiarity, is the number 1 factor in high-performing teams.

    When people feel safe, respected, and valued? They’re not just staying, they’re performing at a higher level.

    3. You Attract Better Talent (Through the Ones Who Stay)

    Here’s the secret sauce: retained employees don’t just do great work. They become your brand storytellers. On social media, during interviews, and in industry conversations, they speak with authenticity. That kind of advocacy can’t be bought, it’s earned through consistency, care, and clarity.

    And trust me, your future hires are watching. According to LinkedIn’s Employer Brand Report, 75% of job seekers consider an employer’s brand before applying, and consistent turnover can tank it fast.

    Retention Saves Your Employer Brand from a Reputation Hit

    In the age of Glassdoor reviews, Reddit threads, and LinkedIn whispers, your employer brand is no longer what you say it is. It’s what your current and former employees say about you.

    And when your growth phase feels more like a revolving door than a rocket ship, word gets out fast.

    1. Turnover Tanks Your Online Reputation

    Every time a team member exits on a sour note (especially during a hiring surge), there’s a chance they’ll share that experience online. According to Glassdoor, 86% of job seekers research company reviews and ratings before applying for a job.

    So if your growth phase is riddled with inconsistent onboarding, toxic work culture, or unclear expectations, it becomes visible. And once your reputation starts to slip, attracting quality hires becomes 10x harder.

    2. Happy Employees Are Your Best Recruiters

    On the flip side, when you retain great people, they organically attract more great people. They post team celebrations on Instagram, recommend your company to friends, and leave glowing reviews without being asked. According to LinkedIn’s Employer Brand Statistics, companies with a strong employer brand see 50% more qualified applicants and cost-per-hire drops by 50%.

    You can’t buy that kind of authenticity. It comes from genuinely valuing your people, especially when they’re choosing to stay.

    How to Make Retention Your Growth Superpower

    How do you actually retain talent during a high-growth phase without burning everyone out?

    Here’s what works:

    1. Create Clear Career Pathways

    Nobody wants to feel stuck—especially not your high performers. Use tools like Stay Interviews (a proactive alternative to exit interviews) to understand what motivates each team member and where they see themselves growing. As Harvard Business Review explains, when employees see a future in your company, they’re far more likely to stay and invest.

    2. Double Down on Internal Mobility

    Before you open a new role externally, ask: Who on the team is ready for this? Promoting from within boosts morale and loyalty. According to a LinkedIn Learning Report, companies that excel at internal mobility retain employees nearly twice as long as those that don’t.

    Growth is more sustainable when it happens from the inside out.

    3. Upskill and Reward Consistently

    Fast-moving companies need fast-learning teams. Platforms like Coursera and LinkedIn Learning let you build customized learning paths so employees don’t just “keep up”, they lead the charge. Employees who feel invested in are 94% more likely to stay longer, according to LinkedIn.

    Pair that with meaningful recognition, not just end-of-year shoutouts, but real-time praise, performance bonuses, and public wins.

    4. Normalize Work-Life Sanity

    This one’s underrated. Growth phases often come with grind culture—but burnout leads to exits. When you build policies that actually support work-life balance (flexible hours, mental health days, hybrid options), retention goes from reactive to baked-in. The World Economic Forum notes that flexible workplaces are now a key retention factor, especially among younger talent.

    Retention Is the Growth Strategy

    Hiring fuels scale, but retention fuels stability.

    Companies that grow without prioritizing people find themselves in a loop: endless onboarding, chaotic culture, and short-lived wins. But when you anchor your growth strategy around retention, everything compounds, knowledge, trust, productivity, and brand value.

    So, before your next hiring push, pause and ask: Are we keeping the people we already worked so hard to find?

    Because when your people grow with your company, not out of it, that’s when real, sustainable growth begins.

  • The Soft Skills That Make or Break High-Performing Teams

    The Soft Skills That Make or Break High-Performing Teams

    Most teams aren’t failing because they lack technical brilliance. They’re failing because people can’t talk to each other, trust each other, or handle feedback without taking it personally.

    We’re in an age where tools, AI, and automations are everywhere. But what still makes or breaks a team? People. And that means soft skills. Those invisible but essential muscles like empathy, self-awareness, and adaptability are now non-negotiables, not just “nice to haves.”

    A massive Google study called Project Aristotle found that the best-performing teams didn’t necessarily have the smartest people in the room, they had psychological safety. A space where people felt heard, valued, and comfortable taking risks. That’s 100% soft skill territory.

    And it’s not just theory. According to LinkedIn’s Global Talent Trends, 92% of talent professionals say soft skills matter as much or more than hard skills. Why? Because skills like empathy, communication, and adaptability make collaboration work, especially in hybrid or remote environments.

    So if you’re building or managing a team and haven’t made space to develop soft skills, you’re flying blind and eventually, you’ll crash into communication breakdowns, missed goals, or worst of all, a team that silently disengages.

    What are the core soft skills that truly move the needle?

    Emotional Intelligence – The Quiet Power Behind Strong Teams

    If there’s one soft skill that secretly holds every successful team together, it’s emotional intelligence (EQ). It’s the ability to manage your emotions, read the room, and respond, not react, under pressure. Sounds simple, but let’s not lie: most of us still fumble here.

    Daniel Goleman, who popularized the term, outlines five components of emotional intelligence that show up in high-performing teams:

    1. Self-awareness – Knowing your own triggers and blind spots.
    2. Self-regulation – Not lashing out when things go south.
    3. Motivation – Staying driven without needing constant praise.
    4. Empathy – Understanding what your teammate didn’t say out loud.
    5. Social skills – Navigating relationships, even when conflict arises.

    Teams that score high on EQ recover faster from setbacks, communicate more honestly, and build trust faster. They also tend to outperform low-EQ teams, especially in high-stakes environments. In fact, research from TalentSmart shows that EQ is responsible for 58% of job performance, and people with high EQ earn on average $29,000 more annually.

    Want to know how emotionally intelligent your team really is? Tools like the EQ-i 2.0 Assessment or even free tests from Six Seconds can give you a baseline.

    Make emotional intelligence part of your hiring and team reviews. Companies like SAP and FedEx bake EQ into leadership development because they know that how people show up emotionally often determines whether they show up at all.

    Communication – Clear, Candid, and Constant

    Bad communication ruins good teams.

    You could hire the best developers, designers, or strategists, but if they can’t clarify expectations, give feedback constructively, or speak up early about blockers, your team is basically driving in the dark.

    Communication isn’t just about talking or typing. It’s about clarity, tone, timing, and emotional context. And in today’s world of Slack pings, emails, Zooms, Notion docs, and async videos, it’s easy to confuse talking more with communicating better.

    The fix is to build a culture around clear, candid, and constant communication.

    Slack, for instance, has some great tips in their Slack etiquette guide about reducing notification fatigue and keeping communication focused. Tools like Loom are also game-changers, letting teammates record quick screen videos with context and tone that a text message could never convey.

    No tool will fix toxic communication. You have to set norms around feedback, teach teams the power of “I statements,” and model the kind of vulnerability that allows mistakes to be called out without fear.

    The cost of ignoring this? SHRM reports that poor workplace communication costs companies over $400 billion annually in lost productivity. That’s not just a typo. That’s broken processes, misaligned goals, and unnecessary conflict draining your bottom line.

    Want better communication? Start with active listening. Normalize team check-ins. Celebrate candor. And teach people how to say hard things kindly and clearly.

    Adaptability and Growth Mindset – The Core of Team Resilience

    Change is no longer a season. It’s a default setting. One moment your team’s running on in-person syncs, next thing you know, half the squad’s remote, tech stacks shift, and a new AI tool just replaced 40% of your current workflow. Only one thing keeps teams sane and successful in this chaos: adaptability.

    Teams that can shift gears without losing momentum don’t just survive — they thrive. And the science backs it. A Boston Consulting Group report found that highly adaptable teams are twice as likely to outperform their peers during volatile periods.

    But here’s the thing—adaptability doesn’t happen without a growth mindset. Coined by Carol Dweck, this is the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed. It’s the difference between saying “I’m just not good at this” and “I haven’t mastered this yet.” In a team setting, it fuels experimentation, learning from failure, and saying “yes” to challenges that stretch skills.

    Companies like Spotify and Netflix embed growth mindset into their culture through squad autonomy and radical learning loops. Meanwhile, platforms like Mindset Works offer practical tools to help leaders embed growth principles into team rituals and review cycles.

    If your team avoids feedback, sticks only to what they know, and panics at every pivot, that’s a soft skill gap. Foster learning zones, normalize iteration, and encourage “What if we tried…?” conversations. High-performing teams don’t wait for the perfect plan. They build, test, tweak and grow.

    Trust, Accountability & Psychological Safety

    Without trust, even the best strategy collapses.

    Teams don’t fall apart overnight. They unravel slowly. A side comment ignored here, feedback dodged there, promises broken “just this once.” Trust erodes silently, and before long, people are checking out emotionally, doing the bare minimum, or ghosting accountability altogether.

    Psychological safety is the soft skill that holds all others in place. It’s that deep knowing that “I won’t be punished, mocked, or sidelined for asking a question, admitting a mistake, or suggesting a wild idea.” Amy Edmondson’s research at Harvard proved it and Google’s Project Aristotle doubled down on it: psychological safety is the number 1 predictor of high-performing teams.

    So how do you build trust practically?

    • Hold regular 1:1s where conversations go beyond tasks to talk mindset, emotions, and support.
    • Use rituals like After Action Reviews (AARs) or retrospectives to debrief honestly, not blame.
    • Model vulnerability. Leaders who admit when they’re unsure or own their slip-ups create the permission slip for others to do the same.

    Want a trust audit? Try the Team Trust Canvas or Patrick Lencioni’s 5 Dysfunctions of a Team framework to spot red flags early.

    And about accountability, it’s not about micromanagement or perfectionism. It’s about clarity, consistency, and care. Set expectations. Check in. Celebrate integrity. When people know you’ll notice and support their work, they’re more likely to show up fully.

    Soft Skills Aren’t Soft. They’re Strategic.

    Your next big win won’t come from a smarter strategy or shinier tool. It’ll come from a team that knows how to communicate under pressure, adapt to change, hold each other accountable, and trust deeply.

    Soft skills are the hidden infrastructure of performance. Ignore them, and you’ll burn through talent, trust, and time. Invest in them, and you’ll build a culture that’s not just productive—but magnetic.

    So whether you’re hiring, coaching, or recalibrating your current team, look beyond resumes and KPIs. Ask: Can this team feel together, grow together, and win together?

    That’s what makes a high-performing team unbreakable.

  • Top 7 Skills Employers Look for on Resumes (and How to Show Them Right)

    Top 7 Skills Employers Look for on Resumes (and How to Show Them Right)

    Writing a resume can feel like trying to win the lottery. You’re pouring your achievements onto paper, hoping a recruiter doesn’t just skim past and toss it in the “meh” pile.

    But here’s a little secret: hiring managers aren’t looking for magic. They’re looking for skills. Real, measurable, relevant skills. And if your resume doesn’t scream, “Hey! I’ve got what you need!” in the first few seconds, it probably won’t get read at all.

    According to Zety, recruiters spend just 6–8 seconds on average scanning a resume. Six seconds! That’s less time than it takes to microwave a snack. So how do you stand out? The answer lies in knowing exactly what skills employers are searching for, and showing them off in a way that’s clear, confident, and results-driven.

    If you’re applying for jobs in Nigeria, Canada, or trying to break into international remote roles, your resume needs to speak the language of impact. And thanks to Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), it also needs the right keywords to even be seen. Tools like Jobscan and ResumeWorded help scan your CV against job descriptions so you’re not playing resume roulette.

    Ready to find out what actually makes recruiters say, “Let’s interview this person”? Keep reading.

    1. Communication Skills: More Than Just “Good English”

    Saying “I have good communication skills” on your resume is like writing “I breathe air.” It’s expected but not impressive. What recruiters really want is evidence that you can write, speak, listen, and collaborate clearly in real work scenarios.

    In fact, a LinkedIn report ranked communication as one of the most in-demand soft skills across industries and it’s not going away any time soon.

    So, how do you show communication in action on your resume?

    Don’t say: “Excellent verbal and written communication”
    Do say: “Drafted weekly reports for executive team, leading to better cross-department updates”
    Or: “Presented design strategy to client stakeholders, resulting in a 2-week project sign-off”

    That second version doesn’t just tell me you can communicate. It shows me. And that’s the trick.

    If you’ve ever led a meeting, written internal documentation, replied to difficult clients, or created a pitch deck, that’s communication. Use that. Be specific, and use tools like Teal’s Resume Builder to plug in the right phrasing and metrics.

    And don’t forget to tailor! If the job post mentions “stakeholder engagement” or “presentation skills,” include those exact words. According to Indeed, customizing your resume with keywords gives you the best shot at passing ATS filters and catching a recruiter’s eye.

    2. Problem-Solving: Your Hidden Superpower

    Being a great problem-solver doesn’t always feel like a big deal until you write it down. But if you’ve ever fixed a broken process, figured out why something wasn’t working, or saved your team from a meltdown, congratulations, you’ve got one of the top most desirable skills across industries, according to the World Economic Forum.

    But again, just writing “problem-solving” isn’t enough. Show it in action.

    Don’t say: “Great at solving problems”
    Do say: “Identified delays in client onboarding and redesigned process using Notion, cutting turnaround time by 35%”
    Or: “Created automated follow-up system that reduced customer complaints by 40% in 2 months”

    The best way to structure these examples? Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). Not just for interviews, but directly on your resume bullets.

    Here’s a quick template you can steal:
    “[Action] [what you did] to [solve what problem], resulting in [measurable outcome].”

    Employers don’t just want people who can do what they’re told. They want thinkers. Fixers. People who spot patterns and propose better ways to work. If you’re applying to roles in startups, nonprofits, or consulting. Problem-solving could be your golden ticket.

    And if you’re not sure how strong your examples are? Tools like SkillSyncer or even ChatGPT can help you rephrase weak bullets into impactful ones.

    3. Teamwork & Collaboration: Show You Can Play Well with Others

    Employers don’t just hire skills, they hire people they can work with. Whether you’re applying to join a 3-person tech startup in Lagos or a government agency in Ottawa, your ability to collaborate is going to set you apart.

    It’s no longer enough to say you’re a “team player.” That phrase is so worn out it’s basically invisible to recruiters. Instead, show how you’ve worked with others to achieve a shared goal across departments, functions, or even continents.

    Don’t say: “Great team player”
    Do say: “Collaborated with marketing and design teams to launch an Instagram campaign that reached 25,000+ users and increased conversions by 18%”
    Or: “Worked closely with cross-cultural teams in Nigeria and Canada to align on project scope and deliverables for a fintech launch”

    Remote work has made collaboration even more nuanced. According to Buffer’s State of Remote Work, communication and collaboration are two of the biggest challenges remote teams face. So if you’ve used platforms like Slack, Notion, Zoom, ClickUp, or Trello to keep things moving, mention that.

    You can even drop in a tool-specific phrase like:

    “Facilitated weekly retros on Slack and tracked team KPIs using Trello”

    Not only does this show your ability to collaborate, it also ticks the ATS-friendly keyword box.

    4. Adaptability: The Skill That Kept Everyone Sane During COVID

    Life doesn’t always go as planned and employers want to know if you can handle the curveballs. That’s where adaptability comes in.

    Especially post-pandemic, recruiters are searching for people who can pivot, learn fast, and stay calm when priorities shift. According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report, adaptability (or “resilience, flexibility, and agility”) is among the top 10 skills for 2025.

    So how do you prove it on your resume?

    Don’t say: “Adaptable to change”
    Do say: “Shifted to fully remote workflow in 48 hours, adopting Zoom and Asana to manage a team of 5 across 2 time zones”
    Or: “Volunteered to lead onboarding for new hires when HR lead went on leave, helping 3 staff settle in without delay”

    If you switched careers, changed industries, or picked up new skills like Canva, Python, or Salesforce in a short time, that’s gold. Highlight it.

    In Canada especially, immigrant jobseekers are expected to show that they can adapt to a new workplace culture quickly. Your resume can be your first proof of that, especially if you tailor it using Job Bank Canada’s resume resources.

    5. Leadership: No Title Required

    Too many people think “leadership” means you have to be a manager or director. Nope. Some of the strongest leaders are team leads, interns, or volunteers who step up when it counts.

    So how do you show leadership without the fancy job title? You talk about initiative, mentorship, and impact.

    Don’t say: “Strong leadership abilities”
    Do say: “Spearheaded a peer-learning group that helped junior staff improve client communication, resulting in fewer escalations”
    Or: “Volunteered to lead training for new hires on CRM tools, reducing onboarding time by 30%”

    The Harvard Business Review notes that effective leadership is more about empathy, emotional intelligence, and performance, not ego. If you’ve taken initiative to solve a team problem, improve morale, or coach someone you’re already leading.

    And if you’re in a nonprofit, church group, community initiative, or student club? Don’t downplay it. Employers care how you lead, not just where you lead.

    6. Time Management: Do You Actually Get Stuff Done?

    You know what scares recruiters? People who say “I’m a multitasker” but can’t meet a single deadline. That’s why time management is more than a buzzword, it’s a trust factor.

    Hiring managers want to know you can juggle tasks, manage your calendar, and prioritize the right things. Especially in roles where autonomy is key (like remote jobs, project-based gigs, or marketing roles).

    Don’t say: “Strong time management skills”
    Do say: “Managed 6 client accounts simultaneously while meeting 100% of deadlines for 12 months straight”
    Or: “Used Notion to organize and deliver 20+ monthly blog posts ahead of schedule while coordinating with 3 content contributors”

    Time management also means using the right tools. If you’re into digital productivity, mention platforms like ClickUp, Todoist, or even good old Google Calendar. It gives recruiters a mental picture of how you actually work.

    Also, the way you format your resume shows time awareness. A clean, well-structured resume without fluff? That’s someone who respects time, theirs and the reader’s.

    7. Technical or Industry-Specific Skills: Speak the Language of Your Field

    Soft skills are great but if your resume doesn’t show that you can actually do the job, it won’t matter how “adaptable” or “collaborative” you are. Employers want proof that you have the hard skills or technical chops their business runs on.

    And this doesn’t only apply to tech bros and software engineers. Whether you’re a graphic designer, sales executive, data analyst, project manager, digital marketer, or teacher, there are industry-specific tools, platforms, and methodologies you need to speak to directly.

    So how do you show these skills without sounding robotic?

    Don’t say: “Skilled in software”
    Do say: “Designed 12+ digital campaigns using Canva and Buffer to grow Instagram reach by 60%”
    Or: “Analyzed customer trends using Excel PivotTables and Tableau dashboards to inform product strategy”

    If you’re a jobseeker in Canada, don’t assume recruiters will know what Nigerian tools or certifications mean. Be specific. Translate your experience to match Canadian workplace tools and terminology. Talent.com offers a great breakdown of in-demand job-specific skills across Canada.

    Use the job description as a cheat sheet. If they mention “HubSpot,” “Agile,” “Photoshop,” “Python,” or “QuickBooks,” and you’ve used it, mention it. You’ll not only match the ATS filters, but also send a subconscious “I speak your language” signal to the hiring team.

    Format Your Skills for Maximum Visibility

    Now that you’ve got the skills and the right words, let’s make sure they don’t get buried.

    • Place your most relevant skills near the top. That means your Professional Summary or the first 2–3 bullet points in each role should include keywords like “collaborated,” “launched,” “led,” “streamlined,” or “analyzed.”
    • Use a dedicated Skills section — but don’t just list 30 tools like you’re showing off a tech stack. Group them into categories (e.g., Design Tools, CRM Platforms, Data Analysis) for easier scanning.
    • And yes, numbers still matter. Wherever possible, quantify your impact:

    “Reduced customer churn by 25%”

    “Trained 20+ team members in 3 months”

    “Managed budgets up to ₦5M” or “$10K monthly spend on Meta ads”

    Tools like Enhancv and Kickresume can help you format a modern, visually appealing resume without losing the keywords that matter.

    Make Your Resume a Mirror of What Employers Want

    Recruiters aren’t searching for perfection, they’re searching for alignment.

    When your resume reflects the exact skills an employer is looking for, in the right words, with measurable impact, you instantly rise above the noise. You’re not just another applicant, you’re a problem solver, communicator, time manager, leader, and doer. And you’ve got receipts.

    So here’s your new plan:

    • Ditch vague fluff and show proof
    • Use tools like Jobscan, Teal, or Resumeworded to tailor your application
    • Speak the employer’s language, especially if you’re navigating cross-market job hunts (Nigeria → Canada? You’ve got this.)

    And if you’re stuck on how to start or feel your resume still sounds “just okay,” Anutio’s career experts can help you rewrite it with clarity, confidence, and Canadian compliance. We know what employers want and we help you say it right.

    Ready to transform your resume into a job magnet? Reach out to Anutio today and let’s get you that callback.

  • Hiring vs. Upskilling: Which Grows Teams Faster?

    Hiring vs. Upskilling: Which Grows Teams Faster?

    We’re all under pressure to grow teams fast, especially in competitive markets like tech, health, finance, and even creative industries. But when the pressure’s on, leaders are often caught between two choices: Do we bring in new blood, or do we double down on the talent we already have?

    This question isn’t just theoretical, it’s a real strategic crossroads for businesses trying to scale without burning out. Companies are realizing that while skills gaps are widening, budgets are shrinking, and the cost of a bad hire is real (as much as 30% of the employee’s first-year earnings, according to the U.S. Department of Labor).

    And it’s not just about the money. It’s also about time-to-performance, team chemistry, and how quickly your team can hit the ground running. So in this article, we’re diving into the pros, cons, and real-world outcomes of hiring versus upskilling so you can make smarter, faster decisions.

    The Benefits of Hiring New Talent

    When you need speed, hiring feels like the obvious go-to. And honestly? It does have its merits.

    For starters, when you hire strategically, you can plug critical skill gaps almost immediately, especially if you’re bringing in someone with niche expertise. Let’s say your team is about to roll out a data-intensive project, but no one’s fluent in Power BI or Tableau. Bringing in someone with direct experience can save your team weeks of scrambling and tutorials.

    Another big plus is that new hires bring fresh thinking. According to a LinkedIn Global Talent Trends Report, companies that prioritize external hires for innovation tend to see higher levels of creativity and problem-solving. New eyes can spot outdated processes that your current team has been tolerating for years.

    That said, hiring is expensive. According to SHRM, the average cost-per-hire in the U.S. is over $4,700. Not to mention the time it takes from drafting the job description to onboarding and ramping up. Plus, there’s the risk of cultural misalignment. A technically qualified person who doesn’t gel with your team can actually slow progress down.

    So while hiring might feel fast, it can sometimes be a short-term high with long-term consequences if not done right.

    The Power of Upskilling Your Existing Team

    Investing in your existing team means betting on people who already understand your company culture, your values, and your systems. That’s not just smart, it’s sustainable. And in many cases, it’s faster than you think.

    Take this stat: a study by McKinsey showed that 94% of business leaders expect employees to pick up new skills on the job. Companies like Amazon and PwC are investing billions into upskilling programs for their staff. Why? Because it costs less and reduces churn.

    Upskilling also boosts employee morale and retention. When people feel invested in, they stay. According to LinkedIn’s Workplace Learning Report, employees at companies with strong learning cultures are 2.9x more likely to be engaged and 3.6x more likely to report being happy at work. That kind of engagement translates into faster output and stronger performance.

    There’s another perk: cross-skilling. Instead of hiring multiple specialists, you can train one person to handle overlapping roles. For example, your marketing associate could be trained in email automation or analytics, making them far more versatile in lean times.

    But upskilling isn’t always quick. You need structured learning paths, mentorship, and accountability. And not everyone learns at the same pace. If you’re dealing with an urgent product launch, waiting months for someone to get certified may not be feasible.

    Still, when baked into your long-term workforce strategy, upskilling builds loyalty, trust, and a deeper bench of adaptable talent.

    Which Grows Teams Faster?

    Which one actually grows teams faster, hiring or upskilling?

    If we’re talking immediate results, hiring often wins the race. When you’ve got urgent deliverables and need a plug-and-play expert, bringing someone in with ready-made experience helps you hit your KPIs quickly. A report from the World Economic Forum noted that 44% of the core skills employees need will change within five years, which means companies have to move fast. If your internal team isn’t ready, external hires can close that gap fast—but only temporarily.

    But here’s the thing: speed doesn’t always equal sustainability.

    According to a 2023 study by Deloitte, companies that invest in internal capability building grow twice as fast over a three-year period compared to companies that lean mostly on external hiring. Why? Because they develop institutional knowledge, loyalty, and cultural cohesion, all things that compound over time.

    And then there’s the onboarding curve. Even the best hire will need 2–6 months to get truly embedded in your team culture and workflows, according to BambooHR. So while they might be skilled, they’re not truly accelerating your growth until they’ve adjusted.

    Hiring grows your team quickly on paper. Upskilling grows your team deeply in practice. The fastest growth? Often comes from a strategic blend of both.

    The Smartest Play? Combine Hiring with Upskilling

    Now this is where the magic happens.

    The smartest, most agile teams in 2025 and beyond aren’t picking a side. They’re doing both hiring for critical skill gaps while also building a learning culture that keeps their internal talent evolving. Think of it like farming and shopping at the market. Sometimes you need to plant and wait, sometimes you need to grab ingredients now. Both feed the system.

    Companies like IBM, for example, have built internal “skills academies” to upskill existing teams while actively recruiting new talent for emerging tech roles. Their approach isn’t either-or, it’s ecosystem thinking. Similarly, Microsoft’s Skills for Jobs initiative is equipping internal staff for AI and cybersecurity roles while aggressively hiring specialists.

    Here’s how to blend both approaches in a smart, scalable way:

    • Hire for innovation; upskill for retention. Use hiring to bring in new capabilities or break into new markets. But use upskilling to protect your culture and grow from within.
    • Create clear learning pathways. Tools like Coursera for Business, LinkedIn Learning, and Degreed help you map out upskilling strategies that align with business needs.
    • Build mentorship into your onboarding. New hires should not only learn, they should teach. Let them share their expertise while your current team absorbs and applies it.
    • Track ROI for both. Use tools like Workday or Lattice to measure time-to-productivity, employee engagement, and upskilling outcomes so you can iterate intelligently.

    The businesses that will win the talent game aren’t choosing sides. They’re playing the whole board.

    Grow Fast But Grow Smart

    Team growth is no longer just about headcount, it’s about capability, cohesion, and staying ahead of the curve. While hiring can be a powerful accelerator, it’s not a fix-all. And while upskilling builds long-term strength, it isn’t always fast enough in isolation.

    The key? Strategic balance. Hire when you must. Upskill always. Growth isn’t just about speed. It’s about direction.

    Want a team that grows fast and lasts? Build a culture where learning is constant, where new talent elevates old talent, and where growth is both a goal and a mindset.

  • Top 3 Mistakes Managers Make When Hiring in a Rush

    Top 3 Mistakes Managers Make When Hiring in a Rush

    Hiring under pressure is a manager’s rite of passage. Whether it’s an unexpected resignation, a sudden project ramp-up, or the panic of quarter-end targets, we’ve all been there. The scramble to fill a gap quickly feels justifiable, until it backfires.

    The problem is, rushed hiring rarely leads to smart hiring. According to a LinkedIn Global Talent Trends report, 89% of bad hires are linked to poor soft skill assessment and rushed decisions. That’s not just a performance problem, it’s a team morale and culture risk too.

    Hiring the wrong person costs businesses up to 30% of that person’s first-year salary, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Imagine throwing that kind of cash into a black hole repeatedly.

    If you’re in a hiring dash right now, pause. Take a deep breath. Let’s walk through the top three mistakes most managers make when hiring in a hurry and how to do better (without slowing down too much).

    Mistake 1: Prioritizing Speed Over Fit

    Hiring “the next available candidate” rarely works out long term. Culture fit, team dynamics, and future potential often get sidelined in the name of speed. And what do you get? Someone who technically ticks the boxes but drains the vibe of your team or quits in three months.

    In fact, companies with strong alignment between culture and talent are 1.8x more likely to report higher performance, according to PwC’s Future of Work study.

    A smarter shortcut? Build a pre-vetted talent pool in advance. If you’re not already using platforms like Anutio (especially for African and immigrant professionals), or Hiretual for AI-driven sourcing, you’re missing a huge chance to hire fast and right. These tools help you stay ready, so you don’t have to get ready in panic mode.

    Always have a “bench” of warm leads even if you’re not hiring today. That way, when a role opens up, you already know who to call.

    Mistake 2: Ignoring Red Flags in Interviews

    Desperation clouds judgment. In rushed interviews, managers tend to overlook warning signs: inconsistent answers, vague responsibilities on resumes, or even attitude issues. You start convincing yourself why it’s okay, “They’re coachable,” “We’ll train them,” “They seem eager.”

    You can’t teach integrity, emotional intelligence, or work ethic in onboarding.

    According to Harvard Business Review, one of the most cited reasons for failed hires is a lack of soft skills, which are often easy to spot if you’re paying attention. But in a rush, we zoom past those gut-check moments.

    A better strategy? Use structured interviews with scorecards, like the Topgrading method, to anchor your decision-making. And if you’re not using tools like VidCruiter or HireVue, you’re leaving too much to guesswork. These platforms help standardize the process and surface patterns you might miss in a quick chat.

    If a candidate can’t give clear examples of past work, lacks curiosity, or overuses buzzwords without substance, pause.

    Mistake 3: Skipping Onboarding Planning

    So you finally found someone. Signed, sealed, starting Monday. Relief, right?

    But then you realize, no onboarding doc, no welcome email, no tools set up. The new hire spends the first week staring at a half-configured laptop and shadowing people who are “too busy” to train them. That’s not onboarding; that’s being set up to fail.

    According to Gallup, only 12% of employees strongly agree their organization does a great job onboarding. That’s terrifying when you consider that good onboarding improves new hire retention by 82% and productivity by over 70%.

    Even if you’re in a rush, onboarding should never be an afterthought. It’s how you anchor new hires into your culture, expectations, and momentum. Use checklists like ClickUp’s free onboarding template or Trello’s remote onboarding board to create structure, even if you’re building the plane while flying it.

    A rushed hire without onboarding is a ticking resignation letter.

    The Hidden Costs of Rushed Hiring

    Hiring mistakes don’t just cost time, they bleed money, morale, and team momentum. According to CareerBuilder, 74% of employers admit they’ve hired the wrong person for a position. And that’s not even counting burnout from team members who have to pick up the slack.

    A bad hire affects:

    • Team trust: When managers hire recklessly, employees lose faith in leadership judgment.
    • Culture dilution: One toxic or disengaged hire can undermine months of team building.
    • Time lost: From training to managing poor performance to eventual replacement, it’s exhausting.

    Want to visualize this? HeyTaco’s Cost of Turnover Calculator can help you estimate what each bad hire could be costing your organisation, especially in fast-paced or resource-tight environments like nonprofits or startups.

    You’re not saving time when you hire fast. You’re just borrowing problems from the future.

    How to Hire Fast and Smart (Yes, It’s Possible)

    Speed doesn’t have to mean sloppiness. You just need the right guardrails.

    Here’s how high-performing teams balance urgency with excellence:

    • Build a hiring scorecard – Tools like Notion or Workable let you align your team on what “great” actually looks like.
    • Pre-write your job descriptions – Keep evergreen roles on file so you’re not scrambling to craft JD copy at 1 a.m. when someone quits.
    • Use async interview tools – Platforms like Willow and Hireflix help you gather video responses fast, saving you 60% of your screening time.
    • Always be hiring – Even when you’re not hiring. Build your pipeline in advance through career pages, talent newsletters, or partnerships with platforms like Anutio that help you connect with vetted talent across Nigeria and Canada.
    • Keep onboarding plug-and-play – Store your company intro deck, process maps, and welcome checklist in one linkable doc. It makes each onboarding feel intentional even if you’re onboarding during a fire drill.

    Hiring fast isn’t about skipping steps. It’s about streamlining the right ones.