Cultivate a talent pool for that inevitable leadership hole
By Daniel Abramson, HRSource
In sports, the definition of bench strength is “the number of quality players available to substitute during the game without missing a beat.”
In business, it’s the number of qualified employees ready to step in and fill a critical leadership vacancy.
In a recent Gallup study, 72 percent of companies predict they’ll have an increasing number of leadership vacancies over the next two to three years. However, at the same time, 76 percent of those surveyed are “less than confident” about their ability to adequately staff those positions!
Employee bench strength isn’t just about basic job skills. It’s about strengthening your team, increasing employee morale, and building an even stronger business bench as you ramp up to sell more appliances, bedding, furniture, and CE.
Here are five reasons why you need to bolster your bench in 2022:
- If a key employee quits unexpectedly, you can fill the position without a hitch and no downtime.
- Promoting from within saves time compared to hiring from outside the company. No need to get the new hire up to speed on your company’s culture and playbook.
- Learning new skills boosts employees’ morale, which makes your workers more engaged and loyal to your business.
- You can feel confident that you have employees ready to handle any situation, no matter who is out sick or on vacation.
And finally, as we all know…
5. “Stuff” happens at the worst possible time (aka Murphy’s Law)!
Now here are some easy and cost-effective ways to bolster that bench:
Invest In Your Employees Through Education
Encourage your employees to sign up for industry seminars, online webinars, or classes at local community colleges that will improve their job skills, such as an Excel course or first-time management seminar. Also check out Dale Carnegie Training and Fred Pryor’s two-day seminars, both available live online. And consider funding all or part of the cost (education expenses related to improving your employees’ job skills are tax deductible).
Tap into Professional Organizations
Employee development isn’t limited to courses and classes. Joining professional organizations specific to your company’s industry or employees’ roles can be a great way for staffers to grow and develop as professionals. Consider Business Network International (BNI), Meetup.com, your local Chamber of Commerce, or try Googling. Not only will your people meet and develop relationships with like-minded professionals, they’ll also learn new skills while staying on top of the latest developments in their field. And don’t forget to bring these “A” players to BrandSource events like next month’s Summit and the group’s various Region meetings.
Fast-Track Leadership Development
Being a great employee alone doesn’t necessarily qualify someone for a leadership role, so consider helping them get ready. By implementing a fast-track leadership development program, you can prepare high-potential team members to step into leadership positions as they become available. An internal leadership development program can help you build bench strength, so you’ll be ready to promote from within more often.
Establish a Regular Training Schedule
Make it easy for employees to set aside time in their schedules for professional development by establishing a regular schedule of training sessions. For example, make “Training Tuesdays” a regular thing, with different subjects covered each week of the month. Skills training could be slated for the first week, leadership development for the second week, with other types of development activities to follow. This way employees can easily plan for development opportunities. Also, have your key sales leaders conduct monthly meetings on subjects like warranty sales, developing scripts, and addressing customer objections.
Cross-Train Your Employees
The more employees know about each other’s jobs, the better (and smoother) your company runs. Cross-training employees to learn new skills also ensures they don’t feel stagnant in their positions. Begin by asking your employees which roles they’d like to learn. Some might be reluctant to take on more work, but those who are ambitious will see this as an opportunity to get noticed and expand their skills. Also ask your top employees who they think should be cross trained in specific jobs. When you’re working side by side every day, employees get to know each other well.
The Bottom Line About Bench Strength
The retail landscape is volatile and sometimes, out of the blue, critical employees choose to leave unexpectedly. As an owner/manager, you need to constantly develop your bench in order to respond to these events. In the process, you will make your business a collaborative, innovative, and fun place to work, where everyone has a part to play.
Need some help jump-starting your program or have additional questions? Don’t hesitate to call.

Daniel Abramson is Managing Lead of HRSource, a comprehensive collection of customized employment tools and turnkey solutions exclusive to BrandSource members. For more information, contact Daniel at (540) 535-8484 EST or daniel@staffdynamics.biz.