{"id":9613,"date":"2025-10-29T09:24:57","date_gmt":"2025-10-28T22:24:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.johnsonrecruitment.com.au\/?p=9613"},"modified":"2025-10-30T09:18:12","modified_gmt":"2025-10-29T22:18:12","slug":"stay-ahead-of-the-pack-prepare-now-for-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.johnsonrecruitment.com.au\/stay-ahead-of-the-pack-prepare-now-for-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Stay Ahead of the Pack: Prepare Now for 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As the year winds down, most community and social purpose organisations shift into delivery mode. Budgets are set, programs are running, and the focus is on finishing strong. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But while some leaders take their foot off the pedal, others use this time to quietly get ahead, setting their teams up for a smoother, stronger start to the new year.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re planning to grow, restructure, or strengthen your team in 2026, now\u2019s the time to put things in motion. Here\u2019s how to make the most of the weeks before Christmas.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #c20030;\"><b>1. Take Stock of Your Team<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before thinking about new hires, step back and look at where your organisation really stands. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ask yourself:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Where did we struggle most with capacity this year?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Which roles are mission-critical for 2026?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Where are we overly dependent on one person or skill set?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This exercise gives you clarity. You might realise a small tweak, like upskilling someone internally or adding support in a key area, can make a big difference. Or you might see that you\u2019ll need to start the search early for specialist talent.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #c20030;\"><b>2. Plan (and Budget) for Strategic Hires<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you already know you\u2019ll need new people next year, don\u2019t wait. Leadership and specialist roles in this sector take time to fill, and by starting now, you\u2019ll avoid the January scramble. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use this window to finalise position descriptions, get approvals in place, and map out your recruitment timeline. That way, when the new year begins and top talent starts thinking about their next move, you\u2019re ready to move fast.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #c20030;\"><b>3. Refresh Your Employer Brand<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your reputation as an employer matters just as much as the role you\u2019re hiring for. Take a moment to check how your organisation looks from the outside.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Does your website and social media reflect your mission and culture?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Would your team recommend you as a great place to work?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Are you showcasing the real stories behind your impact?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A few small updates, like sharing team highlights or refreshing your \u201cWork With Us\u201d page, can go a long way when it\u2019s time to attract new talent.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #c20030;\"><b>4. Reconnect with Your Recruitment Partners<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you work with external recruiters or consultants, give them a call before you switch off for the holidays. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A quick conversation now can help you:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Share your likely hiring priorities for next year<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Get insight into talent trends and availability<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Map out timelines for early 2026 campaigns<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The best recruiters are already keeping an eye out for talent while the market is quiet, which means you\u2019ll hit the ground running in January.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #c20030;\"><b>5. Retain Your Great People<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s easy to focus on who\u2019s next, but don\u2019t forget who\u2019s already on the team. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A simple thank-you, a meaningful conversation about growth, or a genuine show of appreciation goes a long way. Retention and recruitment go hand in hand, and teams that feel valued are your best ambassadors.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #c20030;\"><b>6. Take a Proper Break<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finally, rest. And make sure your team does too. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Good leaders model balance. After a big year, everyone needs time to switch off, recharge, and come back fresh. A clear head and renewed energy are what really set the tone for a strong 2026.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"color: #c20030;\"><b>Thinking about your team for 2026?<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re planning to expand or strengthen your team next year, start now. Reflect, plan, and get your recruitment ducks in a row. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By January, you\u2019ll have clarity, momentum, and an edge over everyone still trying to catch up.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Get in touch with me, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.johnsonrecruitment.com.au\/team-member\/barry-vienet\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Barry Vienet<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, via <a href=\"mailto:barry@johnsonrecruitment.com.au\">barry@johnsonrecruitment.com.au<\/a> or call <a href=\"tel:0427 406 325\">0427 406 325<\/a> for a confidential chat about your leadership and workforce plans for the year ahead.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As the year winds down, most community and social purpose organisations shift into delivery mode. Budgets are set, programs are running, and the focus is on finishing strong. But while some leaders take their foot off the pedal, others use this time to quietly get ahead, setting their teams up for a smoother, stronger start&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":9616,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","footnotes":""},"categories":[33,40],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9613","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","category-market-update"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.johnsonrecruitment.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9613","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.johnsonrecruitment.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.johnsonrecruitment.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.johnsonrecruitment.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.johnsonrecruitment.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9613"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.johnsonrecruitment.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9613\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9620,"href":"https:\/\/www.johnsonrecruitment.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9613\/revisions\/9620"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.johnsonrecruitment.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/media\/9616"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.johnsonrecruitment.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9613"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.johnsonrecruitment.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9613"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.johnsonrecruitment.com.au\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9613"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}