Is it better to hire BIG or hire SMALL?

Do you need someone to hit the ground running (BIG), or is it better to hire for future development (SMALL)?

This is the question that all senior leaders are pondering at the moment, especially when they have to pay well above market for talent.

Three conscious factors decide whether hiring BIG or SMALL is better: Money, Resource and Time. It’s a complex balancing act of weighing up Risk vs Reward and certainly far from a perfect science.

Now try looking at this through a slightly different lens.

A Managers objectives:

Most senior leaders are typically on a three-year roadmap. Year 1 - establish and build; year 2 – results; year 3 - succession and continuity planning. If you are at the start of this roadmap, you may be more likely to hire for the future as you have time to develop others. If you are towards the end of the roadmap, you may be more inclined towards succession planning in your absence and therefore looking for someone who can impact quickly.

Your Financial horizon:

Your financial objectives may be to get immediate results, or they may be stretched over a medium to long-term horizon. This is a significant factor in deciding to hire BIG or hire SMALL. The loss in productivity while you develop someone and the cost impact on your own time should never be overlooked. If you measure productivity over time, how long will you wait before you hit break even and start recouping costs? Every headcount is a cost, some more than others. Planning around your financial horizon is essential in every hire you make.

Retention:

Retention is the final consideration. What if you sacrifice your time and effort to develop talent, and just as they hit their stride, they get poached? Would you have been better off just hiring BIG from the start and maximising the immediate return early to free up your time to focus on your short-term objectives?

My advice to any hiring manager is simply know what you need to deliver and by when, and build the profile of your perfect candidate from there. Decide if you want to invest upfront (and how much) or over time (and how long). There is no perfect science to this, but if you state these objectives honestly and clearly to candidates, you will hire the right people.

If you would like to have a conversation about recruiting the right people for your organisation, please reach out to me at Morgan Consulting via:

✉️ rshukla@morganconsulting.com.au

📱 0406 772 286

For more insights, news, career opportunities and job vacancies, follow us on LinkedIn.

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Morgan Consulting AFL Tipping Competition 2025: And the Winners Are…

By Morgan Consulting • September 12, 2025

The AFL season is always full of drama, excitement, and fierce competition — and so was this year’s Morgan Consulting AFL Tipping Competition . Our annual corporate footy tipping competition is one of the highlights of the year, bringing together clients, candidates, colleagues, and footy fans from across Australia. With fantastic cash prizes, exclusive weekly wine giveaways, and the ultimate prize of bragging rights, it’s no surprise the competition was bigger than ever in 2025. This year, we had a considerable number of participants across our tipping competitions — both internal and external. It was fantastic to see so many people get involved, showcasing their footy knowledge and passion for the game. And now, we’re thrilled to announce the results! 🏆 2025 AFL Tipping Champion A huge congratulations to Ryan Naylor from TCL Hofmann — known in the competition as CATTERS05 ! Ryan was a standout performer all season, finishing with an incredible 161 tips , a full five ahead of second place . A clear and commanding win! Ryan takes home: $1,000 cash prize Our famous giant novelty cheque A photo opportunity with Tony Henderson , Director of our Scoresby office And the all-important title of 2025 Morgan AFL Tipping Champion Second & Third Place – A Nail-Biting Finish The battle for the remaining podium spots came right down to the wire — and the last game of the season. Second Place : With a bold effort in the final round, tipping 9 winners, our runner-up finished on 156 tips with a margin of 669 . Third Place : Just one tip behind, both third and fourth finished on 155 tips . It was the margin that decided it, with our third-place finisher sneaking ahead by just 46 points . It doesn’t get much closer than that! Weekly Prize Winners Each week, our sharpest tipster also scored a bottle of exquisite wine , hand-picked from a private collection. These weekly prizes kept the competition lively and gave everyone a chance to celebrate their tipping skills throughout the season. Thank You to Our Community At Morgan Consulting, we’re proud to host one of the most engaging AFL tipping competitions in the corporate world . It’s more than just a bit of fun — it’s a chance to connect, celebrate, and share the AFL season with our community of clients, candidates, and friends. A huge thank you to the participants who took part in 2025. We’re already looking forward to next season. Who knows — maybe in 2026 you’ll be the one lifting the big cheque! FOLLOW MORGAN CONSULTING For more insights, news, career opportunities and job vacancies, follow us on LinkedIn .