From what I have seen, most growth trends for staffing companies are not linear.  Instead, there is strong growth followed by a plateau.  I have come to the conclusion that managers may not be able to completely escape plateaus, but they are the key factor in determining how long they last.  The reason for this is simple.  As a company grows and operations become more complex, it is more difficult to identify bottlenecks and drive accountability.

Each manager has a different role in breaking through plateaus, below are some common considerations each functional role must consider.   Middle management isn’t listed below since they either directly or indirectly impact the functional roles.

Executive Role:  Responsible for adjustments in growth strategy, strategic investments, organizational structure, cultural considerations, and revamping the management framework.

Sales Manager:  Accountable for revamping targets, managing process improvement, using data to drive creative problem solving, establishing sales identity, formalizing on-boarding and on-going training, creating consistent accountability, and remaining externally focused.

Delivery Manager: In charge of implementing new sourcing tools, maturing processes to drive operational alignment, formalizing on-boarding and on-going training, and managing automation to streamline data flow.

How each of these manager’s attempts to break through the plateau varies based on the company strategy and its operational bottlenecks. However, regardless of the manager’s role the sooner they begin preparing for the eventual bottlenecks, the smaller the growth plateau will be.