Sheri Welsh is our featured guest blogger today. An acclaimed expert in human resources leadership and strategy, Sheri is president of an executive search firm, Welsh & Associates, Inc. Her career includes more than 20 years` leadership roles in human resources consulting/recruiting, purchasing, and sales. She is a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and a Certified Personnel Consultant (CPC). Welsh & Associates is recognized as a leader in the professional and executive search industry.

A booming economy can camouflage a multitude of sins. Life changed for most of us, though, last November, with the global financial crises. But, like any wake-up call, those of us who lead organizations have an opportunity to face the day head on. In other words, we can shape events or let them shape us and our companies. If we are in human resource roles, our opportunity and our obligation has never been greater. Setting your company on the path of long-term success begins with your team. Following are five suggestions for using our economic challenges to build a foundation of success for your company`s long-term growth.

1. Set a vision for the recovery.
What type of organization do you want to be when the economy turns around? Putting together a strategic blueprint for growth is the foundation of our five-point plan. The next four strategies will help you shape that plan.

2. Get the right people in the right seats.
Getting the right people on the bus is, of course, Jim Collins` Good to Great analogy. But you can go a step further than just hiring the right people. Make sure that the people in your company are doing what they do best and what they love. This is an unstoppable combination. Imagine your company filled with people who are passionate about what they do and who excel at doing it. A time of down-sizing or right sizing is a great time to make sure your bus is filled with the right people and that they are in the jobs suited best to them ?€”and on the right team in the right division.

3. Take advantage of the job market to make strategic hires today.
Although Kalamazoo has fared better than elsewhere in the state, unemployment in Michigan leads the nation. That means, however, that there is good talent available today that may not be available in six months. Some of that talent is in the unemployed group. Those that aren`t, are likely worried that they may be. No one feels secure in today`s job market. That means that a well-timed recruiting call could land you the talent you need to position your company for exponential growth in a better economy.

4. Train and develop your staff ?€”they`ll be armed and dangerous when the recovery comes.
Too often, training is one of the first budget items nixed. But that hurts companies in the short term and leaves them completely unprepared for the long term. And though budget dollars are tight everywhere, the Center for Workplace Excellence says it is actually possible to save money and increase your training budget. That`s because companies with good training programs have lower turnover. They argue that a good training program can be the difference of keeping three good employees. You can see a video and learn more at www.workplace-excellence.com.

5. Brand your company to attract the right talent and the best talent
Every company wants to be an employer of choice, but what does that mean? Are you attracting the right talent? This is more than just hiring for skills, we`re talking about finding people whose values mirror those of your existing staff. Branding your organization to your prospective employees can be as critical to your long-term success as branding your products to your customers. Strategic hires strengthen your team. Branding your organization to the right prospective talent pool can streamline your recruiting process, strengthen your recruiting message and make the whole system more efficient and more effective.