Insights

By Volker Rojahn; Partner DACH Region: Beaumont Executive Interim Management (BEXIM)

An interim manager offers companies the opportunity to react promptly to critical business challenges and benefit from experienced leadership skills – without the obligations of permanent employment. With their focus on results, cost efficiency and independence, they are a valuable resource, especially in rapidly evolving market environments.

Companies are finding the use of interim managers increasingly interesting for several reasons. These relate to both short-term and strategic advantages that can be decisive in dynamic and competitive markets:

1. Flexibility and agility in a volatile economy:
   In an increasingly unpredictable business environment characterized by rapid change, the use of interim managers enables companies to react flexibly and agilely. They can overcome short-term challenges without placing an undue burden on the existing workforce structure. This is particularly attractive when quick decisions and adjustments are necessary, for example in the event of market changes or new legal requirements.
2. Risk minimization in the event of leadership changes:
   Leadership changes always involve a certain amount of risk, especially in strategically important positions. Interim managers offer a temporary solution that allows the company to carry out the recruitment process for a permanent appointment calmly and thoroughly, without jeopardizing the day-to-day management. This minimizes the risk of miscasting and performance drops in critical times.

3. Coping with crises and transformations:
   Many companies go through phases of crisis, restructuring or transformation processes that require special management skills. Interim managers bring exactly this experience to the table and can steer companies through particularly difficult phases, such as a restructuring, mergers and acquisitions or the turnaround of companies in crisis. The ability to remain calm in stressful situations and to find sustainable solutions makes interim managers indispensable for such tasks.
4. Access to experienced executives without recruitment effort:
   The search for a suitable manager can be lengthy and cost-intensive. Interim managers offer an immediate solution. They are either self-employed or quickly available through specialized agencies and usually already have broad experience in comparable situations. This gives companies immediate access to highly qualified executives. The search for a long-term personnel solution can then be carried out without time pressure and with the necessary care.
5. Focus on measurable results:
   It is often a great advantage for companies that interim managers are focused on short-term, measurable results. They come to the company with a clear task, whether it is the implementation of a project, the achievement of certain key figures or the solution of a specific problem. This results-oriented way of working often fits well with company goals, which rely on quick wins to secure a competitive advantage.
6. Expertise and industry knowledge for specific challenges:
   Sometimes companies need specialized knowledge that is not available internally. Interim managers bring in-depth industry knowledge and expertise from different companies and markets, which can be of great benefit, especially in specialized niches. This expertise can also help implement innovative solutions or adopt best practices from other sectors.
7. Relieving the burden on existing management:
   In times of high stress, such as the introduction of new systems, international expansions or other demanding projects, interim managers can relieve the existing management team. In this way, day-to-day business remains stable, while complex special tasks are taken over by an experienced expert. This additional resource can be the difference between success and failure of a project.

It remains to be said — interim managers are an interesting option for companies because they offer a flexible, cost-efficient (not cheap!) and highly qualified solution for temporary management tasks. They come to the company without lengthy recruitment processes, deliver fast and measurable results, bring fresh perspectives and extensive experience with them – and are not entangled in internal politics or bureaucratic hurdles. This makes them particularly valuable in times of change, restructuring or specialised projects. And can also – at least in the short term – be a supplement or alternative to the usually complex recruitment processes.