In recent years, the economy has impacted hiring plans at some of the largest corporations in the United States, but now prospects are starting to improve. CEOs are consulting their business planning software and seeing that bringing on new employees could help the company reach higher levels of success. According to recent research from staffing firm Yoh, 80 percent of major U.S. employers forecast their hiring this year to surpass last year's total, while 83 percent expect to grow their workforce by at least 3 percent.

However, the current economic landscape is still hindering some hiring plans at large corporations. Forty-four percent of respondents do not expect to increase hiring in 2013 because of economic uncertainty. CEOs are being forced to assess the state of their companies and determine whether  aggressive hiring could prove to benefit the business in both the short and long term.

"Organizations must scrutinize their workforce plans and design them to address the lingering economic uncertainty and increased complexity of the workforce," said Lori Schultz, president of Yoh. "Now more than ever, systematic workforce planning will be crucial to quickly sourcing, recruiting and hiring top performers."

Some CEOs fail to find the right prospects
Many large corporations don't bring on new staff members unless they are ideal candidates who seem to be a pretty safe bet to add to the strength of the workforce. High expectations for employees mixed with problems with recruiting can lead to some serious staffing problems. The survey revealed 91 percent of respondents said they find it's difficult to recruit candidates, while 61 percent of organizations don't enlist in any outside help for bringing in job candidates. By partnering with a staffing firm, or turning to social media platforms, CEOs may be able to find the superstars they are looking for.

Make sure new staff has a strong start at the company
When CEOs finally land the candidate they have sought after, it's important to start them off on the right foot with the company. Many human resource professionals will argue that the first three to six months at the business can indicate how successful the new hire will be at the firm. CEOs can consult this list provided by Inc. magazine, which describes some ways to set new employees on the path to prosperity.

  • Drill employees on the firm's focus: Many CEOs may be eager to see test new hires by putting them in the hot seat, but it's important to wait to put them in pressure situations until they truly understand the core values of the company. Once they feel confident in the that they can help the firm reach its goals, then it's time to test their resolve.
  • Be prepare for the J-curve: When new hires start out, placing high expectations on them right away could result in disappointment. Their progress will most likely look like the letter J, where they struggle at the outset, then slowly begin to learn how to succeed and become a revenue builder for the company.
  • Encourage feedback: CEOs don't bring in new talent just so they can blend in with the crowd, executives want to hear if a recent staff addition has thoughts about company inefficiencies or ideas for improvements. Letting new hires feel comfortable providing insights will make them fee valued right away.

Mastering the onboarding process can allow CEOs to drive their firms above the current state of the economy, and continue to prosper despite tough times.