McLean & Company Offers Framework for Workforce Optimization Amidst Economic Shifts
HR leaders are guided through a structured approach to build, buy, borrow, or automate talent to address workforce gaps and strategic objectives.
McLean & Company, a global HR research and advisory firm, has released a new blueprint aimed at helping organizations strategically optimize their workforce to meet evolving talent needs. The resource provides a structured framework for determining when to build internal capabilities, buy talent externally, borrow resources, or automate tasks to address skill gaps.
The publication, titled "Optimize the Workforce Mix for Strategic Impact," addresses contemporary challenges such as the rapid advancement of AI, widening skill gaps, and increasing labor costs. The firm suggests that traditional workforce models are becoming less effective, prompting HR leaders to move beyond reactive hiring towards more deliberate strategic decision-making.
"The right workforce mix doesn't happen by accident," stated Lexi Hambides, director of HR Research & Advisory Services at McLean & Company. "The goal is not simply to fill a role quickly, but to choose the approach that best fits the work, available resources, and the organization's risk tolerance while building the capabilities it will need."
The blueprint outlines a three-step process: identifying needs and talent gaps, evaluating workforce mix options (build, buy, borrow, automate), and implementing the chosen strategy. McLean & Company emphasizes that these decisions have broad implications for HR programs and can support long-term strategic goals.