If your day starts with 78 unread emails and a calendar that lies to you, you have probably wondered what to fix first.
Add a person to manage the mess or clean up the processes involved. Choose wrong and you burn cash, morale, and your own patience. Choose well, and everything gets lighter fast.
At That’s Good HR, we have staffed Indianapolis companies for more than 20 years. From startups to multi-site healthcare groups, we have seen where systems end and people begin.
That’s why we put together this guide to help you decide with confidence, and then reach out to us (if you need to 😉).
The Quick Diagnostic: Is this a Systems Problem or Empty Seat?
Not sure whether you need another person or just a cleaner setup?
Think of this as a quick gut check before you post a job. Read each section and notice where your pain points are.
If it is mostly messy process stuff, start by tidying your system. If it is mostly work no one has time to own, you probably need to hire.
If both ring true, it might be time to tighten up your operations so a new hire can hit the ground running.
Signs your systems need a refresh
If work is slow or the same mistakes pop up across a few people, you’re probably looking at a process issue, not just a missing hire.
That usually means the handoffs aren’t clear, folks are re-typing the same info, or you’ve got too many cooks in the kitchen.
Here are a few tell-tale signs you might need better ops:
- Tasks live in inboxes and scattered spreadsheets, so there is no single source of truth.
- The same manual steps happen over and over that a basic tool could automate.
- Ownership of tasks is fuzzy, and outcomes are not clearly assigned.
- New hires struggle because the real process lives in someone’s head, so onboarding turns into detective work.
If two or more of those hit home, start with a systems cleanup and see how much clears. Hiring before your ops are ready will only make the chaos move faster.
Outline each step, pick one person to own the flow, automate your repetitive, recurring to-dos, and then see if you still need another set of hands.
If the backlog barely budges, the issue is capacity, not just clutter – and that’s your cue to add a seat.
Thankfully, we can help you do it fast.
Signs you have an actual hiring gap
Sometimes it is not a messy process. It is that no one has hours left in their day.
If work only moves when you or another leader jumps in, it might be time to hire an administrative assistant.
Here’s how to spot a hiring gap and what to do next:
- Critical tasks finish only when leadership steps in.
- High-value people spend 5–10 hours a week on scheduling, inbox triage, travel, document prep, or pipeline updates.
- Response times slip even though the process is clear and documented.
- Projects stall because no one owns follow-ups and coordination.
- You can name outcomes that require judgment and tone — calendar control, stakeholder updates, meeting prep — not just clicks.
If two or more of these things ring true, adding a temp, temp-to-hire, or direct hire to your team might be the move.
We’ll help you identify the right hiring strategy, shape a clear job posting, and introduce vetted Indianapolis candidates who can run the system you have today.
How to Refresh Your Systems Before Hiring
Even if you end up adding headcount, a light systems refresh usually pays off immediately. We find most of our clients are able to implement these steps in days… this does not need to be a months-long process!
Here’s how:
Map the work, not the org chart.
List the top 15 recurring admin tasks your team has.
For each one, note who touches it, how often it occurs, the true time it takes, and where it stalls.
Identify the handoffs. You will see the bottlenecks pretty quickly..
Eliminate duplicate efforts
Wherever two tools or two people touch the same data, choose one owner and one system to manage it.
Archive the rest.
If you need a shared folder and a single naming convention, focus on that this week.
Automate low-risk steps
Start by automating calendar scheduling, form intakes, standard email replies, file routing, and gentle status nudges.
We’re not talking about a six-month software rollout. Aim for simple wins you can improve in a few hours.
Set S.M.A.R.T goals
You know, S.M.A.R.T goals? They turn “work faster” into something concrete everyone can strive for.
Try simple targets like invoices processed within 48 hours, candidates scheduled within 24 hours, and customer emails answered by end of day.
Put the numbers where the team can see them and check in weekly, like in a shared drive or spreadsheet.
If you can’t measure it, you’re making guesses on where and how much time is spent.
Update your SOPs
If a new hire could follow the steps cold, you did it right. Include screenshots, examples, and definitions.
When you’re done, hand it to someone who wasn’t in the meeting. If they can complete the task, or even follow along, it’s ready.
The Cost of Choosing Wrong
Adding a person to an already-messy process, and your mess will just move faster. Your new hire will quickly turn into duct tape and burn out.
On the other hand, if you try to rebuild internal tools and systems when everyone’s already stretched thin, your projects are going to stall while customers wait.
We know firsthand how much those slowdowns can cost you a deal: a late quote, a slow interview loop, a meeting that keeps getting bumped.
That’s why, when you work with That’s Good HR, we start with a quick look at what’s actually in the way, so you can tidy your systems and add the right help.
The goal is not perfection. The goal is a clear path to reliable outcomes that match your scale, budget, and timeline.
Admin Assistant ROI Calculator
Just two fast checks to spot the real bottleneck.
- Time you get back:
- Add up how many hours your leaders spend on admin each week.
- Multiply by their hourly cost, then multiply by 52.
- If that total makes you wince, you probably need to hire. Leaders should be with customers, coaching the team, and moving priorities forward, not chasing calendar invites.
- Waste in the system:
- Tally up your duplicate tools, duplicate entries, and rework hours per month.
- Multiply by the average hourly rate, then multiply by 52.
- If that figure looks like a phone number, start with your systems. Clean flow makes every future hire more productive.
Reality check: If both numbers are high, first complete your systems refresh (scroll back up to reference our tips). Then, once you have your systems in order, bring in hiring support, so things stay steady while you lock in your new processes.
Not sure if you need better ops or an admin hire?
That’s Good HR is the staffing agency Indianapolis teams trust when they’re figuring out when to hire an administrative assistant.
We’ll help you shape the role, fine-tune the job description, and line up the talent with our network of 20,000+ job seekers right here in Indianapolis.
Ready to get started? Visit our website to get in touch.
