By Karyn Cooper Mining Industry Skills Centre Workforce Retention Series – Paper 1 Attract, Develop and Retain: Initiatives to Sustain a Competitive Workforce
By Karyn Cooper
Mining Industry Skills Centre Workforce Retention Series – Paper 1
Attract, Develop and Retain: Initiatives to Sustain a
Competitive Workforce
The Mining Industry Skills Centre is committed to implementing the Skills Strategy and working with the industry
to ensure that it is supported as it plans and develops its workforce. We look forward to your continued support
and feedback as we undertake this process.
Yours faithfully
DEREK HUNTER
CEO, Mining Industry Skills Centre Inc.
FOREWORD FROM THE CEO
In December 2007, the Mining Industry Skills Centre released the document ‘Securing the Critical
Capability – towards an holistic skills strategy for the mining industry’. This document was the
culmination of nine months of detailed research with industry stakeholders that identified two
Priorities for action – Workforce Planning and Workforce Development. Each of these Priorities
was then divided into key Goals that together aim to support the industry to ensure a sustainable,
skilled and safe workforce for the future.
This paper has been developed by the Mining Industry Skills Centre in conjunction with the
Queensland University of Technology as the first of a three part series to address the sixth
Goal within the Priority of Workforce Planning – Retention Strategies.
Priority Strategy one: Workforce Planning
Priority Strategy tWo: Workforce DeveloPment
goal 1 To investigate and communicate the outcomes of a variety of attraction strategies used by the mining and other industries.
To monitor and align education and training programs to the knowledge and skills required for career pathways within the industry.
goal 2 To identify clear and accessible career pathways for the mining industry. Pathways to encompass: • Operator roles; • Maintenance roles; • Professional roles; • Supervisory roles; • Leadership roles; and • Statutory roles.
To increase the uptake of accredited training within the mining industry where it accurately reflects the industry’s skilling needs across a range of Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) levels and for there to be confidence that accredited training can produce the appropriate level of skill attainment.
goal 3 To increase the intake of apprentices in the mining industry and to maximise the available talent pool for apprenticeship recruitment with appropriate training and education opportunities.
For the industry to have leading practice training and mentoring options to produce highly skilled supervisors and managers.
goal 4 To attract and develop employees in professional roles in a timely manner and to maximise the extent of the talent pool by offering a variety of career entry points.
To create industry specific professional development for Trainers and Assessors that encompasses leading practice in: • Learning facilitation and assessment • Learning management • Learning technology • Training program design and implementation • Interpretation of the Vocational Education and Training (VET) framework
goal 5 To develop a positive image of the mining industry and career possibilities through effective and strategic marketing and communication.
To identify and model training delivery frameworks for different types of skill development within the industry.
goal 6 to investigate and communicate retention strategies used by the mining and other industries.
for the industry to strive for leading practice in training and move beyond training focused on compliance.
goal 7 For the industry to value the positive outcomes of workforce development and how it can impact on an organisation’s bottom line.
goal 8 To ensure the training of current and future employees delivers the skills industry will require as it adopts new technologies.
1Contents
Contents
Brief overvieW 2
introDuction 3
attracting aPPlicantS 4
Employment Marketing 4
E-Recruitment 5
Employee Referrals 6
Workplace Diversity – Attracting Female Applicants 7
Employer Branding 8
attracting aPPlicantS – training & 10
career DeveloPment initiativeS
Training & Development Agency for Schools (UK) 10
Doorways 2 Construction 11
AccountSkills 11
retention StrategieS 12
Exit Interviews 12
Work-Life Balance 13
retention StrategieS – training & 15
career DeveloPment initiativeS
Career Counselling 15
Learning Portals/E-Learning 15
Mentoring 16
Employee Engagement vs. Employee Involvement 16
concluSion 18
referenceS 19
Attract, Develop and Retain: Initiatives to Sustain a Competitive Workforce
BRief oveRview
• London Police Force (UK)
• ITA – IT Software Organisation (US)
• Australia Post
• GE Energy (Global)
• SelectMinds (US web based organisation)
• Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation
• Mack Truck
• United Water
• IBM
• UBS AG Young
• Bunnings Warehouse
• SC Johnson
• Wrexham County Borough Council (UK)
• Deloitte and Touche (USA)
• Hilton Hotel
• EDF Energy (UK)
• The Grady Memorial Hospital (USA)
With a predominantly employee-driven market,
industry is continually called upon to come up
with new strategies for attraction and retention.
the mining industry is currently experiencing
an unprecedented shortage of skills.
Specifically, the mining industry is suffering
from a severe skills shortage in the areas of
trades and professionals. this paper provides
readers with information on what initiatives
industries around the globe are implementing
in order to attract and retain their talented
workers. various case studies are presented
and outcomes provided. Below is a brief
summary of the organisations that are
included in the research paper.
Image courtesy of Tourism Queensland
3introduction
intRoDuCtion
at this time of rapid environmental change and
fierce competition, one of the most significant
factors for an organisation’s competitive
advantage is to attract and retain talented
workers. as advised by the recruitment and
consulting association results from a survey
conducted on the members from the association
in 2007 revealed that the top 10 industries
encountering a severe skills shortage were:
1. Non-building professional engineers
2. Business professionals
3. Non-building engineering associates and technicians
4. Building professionals
5. Building associates and technicians
6. Electrical trades (building)
7. Non-building electrical and electronic trades
8. Receptionists and telephonists
9. IT and telecommunications professionals
10. Carpenters and joiners
In particular, the mining industry experiences severe shortages
in many of the above areas, specifically in the areas of trades and
professionals. With a predominantly employee-driven job market,
industry is continually called upon to come up with new strategies
for attraction and retention, including new ways to enhance
workforce diversity whilst incorporating the competing needs
and views of key stakeholders, such as shareholders, unions,
managers and so on. This paper will provide the mining industry
with information on what other industries around the globe are
doing in order to attract and retain skilled and knowledgeable
workers and the short and long term benefits of such initiatives.
Image courtesy of Tourism Queensland
Attract, Develop and Retain: Initiatives to Sustain a Competitive Workforce
AttRACting AppliCAnts
in today’s tight employment market, the continuous
search to find qualified, talented employees is an
ever increasing, sometimes difficult, process.
for an organisation’s ongoing success,
ensuring the talent pool is infused with productive
employees is crucial. for an individual’s success,
being recruited by the right organisation is a
significant individual need (Phillips and connell
2003, 136). thus organisations that proactively
seek to implement effective recruitment practices
can reap the benefits of getting the right people
in the right job at the right time, every time.
EmploymEnt markEting
Job advertisements are the first step the organisation takes to
engage potential applicants (Feldman, Bearden and Hardesty
2006, 125). They are the first source of information for applicants
about how an organisation will go about selecting employees
and what kinds of roles are being offered to employees.
Job advertisements are a form of employer marketing thus
including particular information in job advertisements can
contribute to whether an applicant will apply for a role or not.
Besides job duties and responsibilities, providing other specific
information in the job advertisement such as remuneration,
developmental opportunities, family-friendly policies and details
about the workplace environment is likely to have a positive
impact on the applicants’ perception of the organisation.
Such information can lead to more positive recruitment outcomes
for the organisation (Feldman et al. 2006, 126; Lee 2005, 175).
In addition, organisations that provide such information may
also be perceived as a particularly desirable place to work.
Depending on the job or industry, unique recruitment strategies
to persuade candidates to apply need to be considered.
Such is the example of London’s police force recruitment
campaign in 2000 (Fanuele 2006, 24). The traditional aspects of
recruitment, such as job duties and remuneration were not used.
Instead, by advertising on television, the advertisement showed
how difficult the role of a police officer is (Fanuele 2006, 24).
One television advertisement featured a Falklands war veteran.
As the war hero wept, he asked viewers to imagine “going around
to someone’s house… to tell a man that his wife and child had
been killed in a car crash” (Fanuele 2006, 24).
The television advertisements displayed the policemen’s job as
one that was distressing and dangerous. The advertisement
provided a telephone number and website address for prospective
applicants. More than 100,000 enquiries were received. The police
force recruited 6,000 new officers – a fifty percent increase from
the year before (Fanuele 2006, 24). Fanuele (2006, 24) believes that
part of the attraction was due to the advertisement asking a huge
professional dare: “Are you brave enough to be a police officer?”
Furthermore, the television advertisement was viewed as being
realistic, and thus was more appealing to viewers.
Another unique recruitment strategy was undertaken by American
based IT Software Company, ITA. The company ran a series of
job advertisements on the Boston subway (Tynan 2006, 40).
The advertisements displayed on the walls of the subway,
featured complex puzzles and challenged the public by asking
“If you can solve this, you can work here” (Tynan 2006, 40).
After a number of years, the organisation still receives calls from
people remembering the advertisements and making enquiries
about possible employment (Tynan 2006, 40). Advertising the
company name publicly can attract qualified people.
Recently, in an article published by The Sunday Mail,
Australia Post Queensland launched a recruitment drive
aimed at getting retirees and stay-at-home parents to deliver
mail on foot (Gumbleton 2007, 44). Such a recruitment drive
was initiated due to the limited recruitment of delivery officers
with motorbike licences. Trials have commenced and new
push-buggies have been designed and built. Media releases
such as this newspaper article can get enquiries started and
bring about a new target market of potential applicants.
Unique attraction strategies can further open the market of potential
employees. While the research (Feldman et al. 2006, 126) suggests
ensuring all positive aspects of the organisation should be included
in the job advertisement and that job seekers be provided with a
realistic job preview, there may be diverse and different recruitment
strategies that attract the right applicants for a particular industry
(refer to Table 1 for suggested measures of attraction).
5Attracting Applicants
SuggEStEd mEaSurES of attraction
• Ratio of employment applicants to open positions
• Percentage of applicants considered “A” candidates
• Average days to fill vacancies
• Ratio of acceptances to offers
• Applicant dropout rate
• Number of recruiting sources used
• Percentage of new hire referrals who stay at least six months
• Average monthly percentage of open positions
table 1: Suggested Measures of AttractionSource: Branham, L. 2005. Planning to become an employer of choice. Journal of Organizational Excellence. 24(3): 57-68.
E-rEcruitmEnt
“ The war for talent has moved to the Internet. You’d better have a battle plan.”
Capeli, P. Harvard Business Review, Mar 2001 79(3): 139-146
As demonstrated thus far, job advertising can be done through
a variety of mediums, such as local, national and international
newspapers, industry magazines, radio and television to influence
prospective employees. Today, the most common, convenient
and cost-effective way to advertise jobs is on-line, or what is also
known as e-recruitment. Lee’s (2005, 175) study which evaluated
and analysed the career websites of Fortune 100 companies,
concedes that e-recruiting is one of the leading e-commerce
applications used as a method of quickly reaching a large pool
of potential job-seekers. Most importantly, e-recruitment reaches
a pool of job-seekers unconstrained by geography thus further
widening the market of potential employees.
Ensuring that organisations’ web pages entice Internet job hunters
to surf deeper within their site rather than broadly across various
sites is becoming an increasingly important consideration in
e-recruitment (Feldman et al. 2006, 135). GE Energy, a global
organisation which produces products and services for the energy
industry, provides a link on its web home page for “job seekers”.
The potential applicants are promptly provided with information
about the organisation’s diversity, employee benefits, work/life
balance policy, developmental opportunities and why the job
seeker should work for GE Energy. In addition, users have access
to information regarding vacant positions around the globe.
GE Energy also provides users with access to a video about the
Women’s Network Group, a group formed within the company
that assists females with professional career development within
the organisation. Access to this information emphasises the
importance GE Energy places on workplace diversity hence
increasing its chances of recruiting females.
Lee (2005, 176) agrees that utilising audio, video and multimedia
technologies on an organisation’s website can have a significant
impact on increasing the interest of potential job applicants.
The increase in the job interest can lead to a higher response
to the job advertisement (Lee 2005, 176). Capitalising on this
success, organisations recruiting for jobs which are situated in
remote locations could use video and multimedia technologies
on their website. Using such technology can inform the user about
the remote locations and what these remote communities have
to offer. This may contribute to increasing an applicant’s interest
and willingness to relocate to such an area.
Cappeli (2001, 141) strongly recommends that organisations
capitalise on the internet’s ability to spread information through
informal networking. This enables organisations to promote
themselves cheaply and effectively. One way of informal
networking is to encourage employees to email jobs to friends
(Cappeli 2001, 141). According to Horwitz, Heng and Quazi’s
(2003, 32) study, on-line recruitment relying upon an organisation’s
website can be an ineffective practice as the job seeker does not
visit a company’s website unless they are made aware by other
sources of potential job vacancies. This can result in potentially
good applicants being excluded from the candidate pool.
Hence, Cappeli’s (2001, 141) recommendation to enhance
informal networking to overcome such a barrier. SelectMinds,
a web company based in New York, USA assists in enhancing
the informal network for organisations by creating on-line alumni
networks that are used to locate and rehire past employees as
well as distribute marketing information (Cappeli 2001, 141).
According to SelectMinds’ website, www.selectminds.com,
they assist organisations with on-line corporate social networking
solutions and industry alumni. Social corporate networking and
alumni enables organisations to build relations with important
constituencies, recruit and retain scarce knowledge workers and
increase the speed at which information and knowledge pass
through the organisation.
Attract, Develop and Retain: Initiatives to Sustain a Competitive Workforce
“ On average, SelectMinds client companies believe that Corporate Social Networking contributes to an increase in retention of 8.83 percent.”
www.selectminds.com.au (accessed 17th January 2008)
Attracting applicants is vital in an employment market which
has limited supply of potential employees. Using e-recruitment
is both cost-saving and effective in reaching a global market
of potential employees, but as Cappeli (2001, 140) points out,
“the human touch is still indispensable”. Making contact with
potential candidates must be fast. This will show candidates
that the organisation’s on-line operations work efficiently, effectively
and are organised in the way they do business. Quick contact
will also avoid the candidate being recruited by another company.
In a tight labour market where few people are looking for jobs,
organisations need to use any or all methods of recruitment to
source potential applicants and at the same time ensure the
organisation’s good reputation is upheld.
EmployEE rEfErralS
An informal recruitment strategy such as employee referrals can
also be an effective tool in recruiting capable job candidates.
The research of Rynes, Colbert and Brown (cited in Ryan and
Tippins 2004, 310) shows that applicants recruited from job
advertisements have a higher turnover than those who are
recruited via referrals. Similarly, Rafaeli, Hadomi and Simons
(2005, 358) conducted a study which compared successful
placement of applicants through formal (advertising) and informal
(employee referral) recruiting sources. Their findings revealed
that organisations that rewarded employees who bring in new
hires with a modest bonus after the new hires stayed with the
organisation for more than a year increased the cost of informal
recruiting (Rafaeli et al. 2005, 363). At the same time this brought
significant advantages to the organisation such as ensuring
person-organisation fit (culture) and reducing turnover of new
recruits (Rafaeli et al. 2005, 363).
The use of employee referrals is demonstrated in an article
published in the Travel Weekly. Author, Carroll (2007, 5) discusses
how travel companies, such as AOT Holidays offer a spotter’s fee
to all employees. Half the spotter’s fee is paid upon recruitment
and the other half after the six month period of the new recruit
remaining with the company. Carroll (2007, 5) confirms that AOT
Holidays has paid out the spotter’s fee on a number of occasions
and this strategy has contributed to successful recruitment of
job candidates and reduced turnover of staff in an industry that
is experiencing a shortage of suitable employees with relevant
knowledge and experience. Similarly, the Snowy Mountains
Engineering Corporation (SMEC) based in Sydney, Australia is
offering $500 to any employees who can find someone to work
for their company, and an additional $2,500 if that new recruit
stays after the six-month probationary period (Coultan 2007, 7).
This is due to extreme shortage of engineers the organisation,
and the industry, is facing. Spending money internally on an
organisation’s own employees may be worth more and cost less
in the long term than spending the money externally on
recruitment agencies because the organisation’s own employees
are in a better position to know who the right person for a job is.
Heavy investment in its own employees when it comes to
recruiting efforts is demonstrated by ITA Software, a company
based in Boston, USA. In an article published in Infoworld,
Tynan (2006, 40) describes how ITA offers their employees $5,000
bonuses for successful referrals and at the same time encourages
peer reviews of candidates. The HR Director explains that ITA has
a bottom-up approach to interviewing potential job candidates
(Tynan 2006, 40). Employees, particularly software engineers,
are involved in the interviewing process. The HR director states
that one manager and at least five engineers take part in the
interview (Tynan 2006, 40). This interviewing process has
subsequently contributed to the recruitment of highly qualified
staff, and in turn has contributed to lower staff turnover.
“ Recruiting isn’t part of their job, but they want high quality people as colleagues.”
Melissa MacDonald – HR Director of ITA Software
Source: Tyan, D. Infoworld. Sept 2001. Vol (28): 40-41
Conversely, Ryan and Tippins (2004, 310) argue that although
employee referrals may be an effective recruitment strategy,
it may also have an adverse affect on organisational diversity.
Ryan and Tippins (2004, 310) recommend that organisations
should strive to attract suitable job applicants but at the same
time ensure that the organisation is creating a diverse workplace.
7Attracting Applicants
AttRACting AppliCAnts
WorkplacE divErSity – attracting fEmalE applicantS
Particular corporate images portrayed in recruiting
advertisements may directly influence the attractiveness of
jobs offered to applicants. Applicants will want to work within
an organisation that enhances their self-esteem or the esteem
in which they are held by others (Feldman et al. 2006, 125).
In a telephone interview conducted with the Human Resources
(HR) Manager of Mack Trucks; based in Brisbane and part of the
AB Volvo Group, the HR Manager advises that the organisation
is currently developing its recruiting initiatives to encourage
women to apply for various positions within the workplace.
Through the print and television medium, Mack Trucks has ruled
that every advertisement will show at least one female with the
aim to increase attractiveness to female applicants. Avery and
McKay (2006, 160) agree that organisations that endeavour
to portray varied racial and/or gender composition in their
advertisements attract diverse applicants.
Furthermore, Mack Truck plays a role in the Australian Women
and Leadership Forum as one of few principal sponsors.
The Australian Women and Leadership Forum is a national
initiative designed to support the increased presence of women
in leadership roles across all sectors. Workplace Training Advisory
Australia plays a key role in the delivery of the Australian Women
and Leadership Forums. Publicised sponsorship of minority
and women’s causes will convey the impression to women and
minorities that the organisation values diversity hence inducing
positive perceptions among the members of these groups
(Avery and McKay 2006, 171). In addition, organisations can
benefit from holding Australian Women and Leadership Forum
workshops in-house. Such benefits include highly customised
content, convenience of on-site sessions, and most importantly,
making it visible to employees that the organisation supports the
development of their female staff (www.womensforum.com.au
accessed 22nd January 2008).
Developing strategies to increase the attraction and retention
of females expands the possible employment opportunities
for any organisation. To qualify and be accredited as an
employer of choice for women, organisations need to meet
the strict guidelines of the Federal Equal Opportunity for Women
in the Workplace Agency (EOWA) (refer to www.eowa.gov.au).
A South Australian company, United Water is the only utilities
company in Australia developing a range of strategies to meet
accreditation (Bawden 2008, 4). The company has about forty
women among its workforce of 440.
Traditionally a male-dominated industry, with a focus on
engineering and civil construction, the company is endeavouring
to be the leader in the field to attract more women to the industry
(Bawden 2008, 4).
United Water’s initiatives include, women returning to part-time
work from maternity leave (which attributed to United Water
becoming a 2007 EOWA Finalist for its job design and flexibility
program) and working part-time from home with one day a week
at the office (enabling those who care for children at home).
Also, the company offers fourteen weeks of paid maternity and
paternity leave, and the option to purchase annual leave to use
for child-minding purposes (Bawden 2008, 4). Bawden (2008, 4)
states that such flexible practices has kept staff turnover at less
than ten percent.
IBM, one of Australia’s largest IT companies, is one of the
country’s most female-friendly workplaces. Table 2 provides
a summary of EOWA initiatives undertaken by IBM. Such initiatives
led to the organisation receiving an award in 2006 from the Federal
Government’s Agency for Equal Opportunity for Women in the
Workplace for being the most “Female-Friendly” organisation.
Similar to IBM’s camp (refer to Table 2), detailed in a media
release by AAP MediaNet (2007) is UBS AG Australia Branch’s
“UBS AG Young Women’s Leadership Academy”. UBS AG
Australia Branch works in the finance sector and they provide
young women with the opportunity to attend a four-day residential
course held in conjunction with Women’s College, Sydney
University and the NSW Secondary Schools Association.
Forty female students from public high schools in ACT,
NSW and Victoria are given the chance to explore the possibilities
of a future education and a career in commerce.
As a result of the Academy, a number of students have expressed
interest in studying economics and finance (AAP MediaNet, 2007).
This program encourages more females to study predominantly
male dominated courses, and also provides young females with
adequate knowledge of what to expect if they choose to further
their career in these fields. Furthermore, such a program increases
the organisation’s market brand and image amongst potential
future female applicants.
Attract, Develop and Retain: Initiatives to Sustain a Competitive Workforce
AttRACting AppliCAnts
EmployEr Branding
Simply stated, employer branding is about what a company has
to offer to its employees. Employer branding can be used as a
long term strategy to manage the awareness and perceptions
of employees, potential employees and related stakeholders
with regards to a particular organisation (Arden 2006, 8;
Backhaus and Tikoo 2004, 501). Hence, employer branding
helps to attract and retain high value staff and therefore
contribute to increased business performance and productivity.
Employer branding strategies assist in shaping the perceptions
of an organisation as an employer of choice (Arden 2006, 8).
With increasing mobility within the workforce, decreasing birth
rates, an ageing population and the decreased loyalty of young
workers, employer branding can assist in attracting and retaining
highly skilled and qualified employees. Corporate reputation is
an important factor for overall company success and also for
attracting job seekers; hence the company brand or image plays
a critical role when job seekers are deciding whether or not to
apply for the job (Johnson and Roberts 2006, 38).
“ Employer branding showcases an organisation’s reputation to the community.”
Johnson, M. and P. Roberts. Marketing Health Services.
Spring 2006 26(1): 38-40.
Employer branding is affected by the way a company interacts with
the public, for example through advertising, media articles, website
material and promotional material (Johnson and Roberts 2006, 39).
One example of such public interaction is the Bunnings Warehouse
organisation and their strategy of employer branding. Their slogan
is “Lowest Prices, Widest Range, Best Service” and Bunnings
Warehouse includes their employees in their television advertising.
Portrayed in the advertisements are team members talking about
their place of work and their positive experiences with various
customers. Including employees in television advertisements can
generate excitement amongst the workplace and keep morale high.
Johnson and Roberts (2006, 40) concede that employees
who are a part of a successfully branded company, sell the
working environment, such as great management or flexibility.
Therefore, “word of mouth” can contribute to increasing both
employee loyalty and quality recruitment.
Employer branding is the communication of a company’s brand
positioning within its recruiting and human resources marketplace
(Johnson and Roberts 2006, 38). Its purpose is to drive the talent
agenda and to determine what makes an employer distinct from
its competitors in the labour market (Carrington 2007, 36).
Employer branding has a number of advantages. Please refer to
Figure 1 in relation to the positive outcomes of employer branding.
iBm auStralia – “fEmalE-friEndly” WorkplacE StratEgiES
initiatives achievements & Benefits
• Flexible Hours – options to work from home. • Technology enables women to work and care for children at home.
• Paid Maternity Leave• Financially stable whilst on maternity leave. 97% of women have
returned from maternity leave over the last 10 years.
• Conducts three camps for young women nationally.
Duration: 1 week, primarily about IT industry and what it entails.
• 36% of IBM Australia’s graduate recruits are female,
compared to less than 15% studying IT at university.
• Vacation care program for IBM children• Gives working mothers peace of mind that their children are
being cared for during the school holidays.
• Flexible leave – offers additional four weeks of annual leave,
purchased through salary sacrifice.
• The additional four weeks gives employees the option to take
more leave if required, and contributes to less stress and work
overload within the organisation.
table 2: Summary of IBM Australia’s Female-Friendly Workplace StrategiesSource: IBM lauded as most “female-friendly” workplace. 08/11/2006. World Today, The ABC. (accessed from Australia/New Zealand Reference Centre database 22/1/2008).
9Attracting Applicants
rEWard rEcapemployer branding generates numerous benefits
a competitive edge. Recruiting and retaining top people is
a powerful advocate for improved products and services.
credibility. Strategic and carefully developed PR can create
a strong, viable believability factor for employer branding
messages.
name/brand recognition and trust. The greater the national
awareness, the more ease local markets will have in their
recruitment efforts.
enhanced reputation. Proactive communications and internal
programs can position your organisation as a thought leader
and industry expert.
Quality staff (current and prospective). A thoughtfully planned
strategy increases prospective candidate flow, and energizes
staff so they feel connected to the organisation’s long-term goals.
Profitability. Employee productivity increases, loyalty is
fostered, and retention improves.
figure 1: Employer Branding BenefitsSource: Johnson, M. and P. Roberts. 2006. Rules of Attraction: Recruit and retain the best staff with employer branding. Marketing Health Services. 26(1): 38-40.
Effective external marketing of the employer brand establishes the
organisation as an employer of choice and thereby enables the
organisation to attract the best possible employees (Backhaus and
Tikoo 2004, 503). Effective internal marketing of the employer brand
carries “the promise” made to new recruits and is incorporated
into the organisation’s culture (Backhaus and Tikoo 2004, 503).
Internal marketing develops a workforce that is committed to
the set of values and corporate goals made by the organisation,
thus making the culture both difficult for other organisations to
imitate and unique only to that organisation. A case study provided
by Employer Branding, a company based in Sydney specialising
in employer branding, details successful results of SC Johnson in
regards to effectively using employer branding (Refer to Table 3).
Monitoring the progress of the brand can mean tracking
employee referrals, processed resumes, tendered and
accepted responses, retention rates and job posting hits on
the organisation’s website (Johnson and Roberts 2006, 39).
Overall, successful employee branding is driven by how
organisations wish to create expectation amongst potential job
candidates, communicate values and influence perceptions
amongst all stakeholders. Ultimately, employer branding expresses
what the experience will be like for job seekers on the “inside”.
caSE Study
Sc Johnson (Sydney, australia):
product manufacturer of consumer goods.
In 2000, exit interviews and employee surveys were
showing employee needs in a number of areas were not
being met. The result – low engagement, low retention
rates and increasing employee replacement costs.
Using market research techniques, the five (5) employer
reputation strengths were identified as: leadership;
career development; training; recognition and work/
life blend. These 5 strengths fell under the employer
reputation banner ‘Enjoy the Difference’.
The results were increased retention year on year,
achieving a high of 92% employee retention (95%
voluntary) and significant cost savings in relation to
the cost of replacing people.
Numerous awards have been bestowed on SC Johnson
since 2001:
2001
• National Work and Family Awards
(medium size business)
• 7th position Hewitt Best Employers to Work For
(< 1,000 employees)
2002
• Best Retention Strategy –
Australian Human Resources Awards
• National Work and Family Awards (stunning stayer)
• Employer of Choice for Women recognition
2003
• Best Employer Brand Strategy –
Australian Human Resources Awards
• Leading Organisation for the Advancement of Women
– EOWA Business Achievement Awards for Women
• Employer of Choice for Women recognition
2004
• Employer of Choice for Women recognition
• National Work and Family Awards (high commendation)
table 3: SC Johnson case studySource: www.employerbranding.com.au (accessed January 24th 2008)
Attract, Develop and Retain: Initiatives to Sustain a Competitive Workforce
AttRACting AppliCAnts – tRAining & CAReeR Development initiAtives
today’s job market is predominantly employee-
driven, thus it is essential that organisations
respond to their employees’ needs by defining
clear career paths in conjunction with offering
non-financial benefits like flexible working
conditions. Due to skilled, experienced employees
being scarce in supply and high in demand,
training and career development initiatives, when
used appropriately, can have a positive impact on
attracting and retaining valuable employees.
Career development initiatives give employees the opportunity
to undertake further training and personal development which
in turn improves their knowledge, skills and abilities. Such
initiatives give employees the opportunity to move into other job
roles hence leading to greater productivity (Bright 2007, 7).
Career development is the link between learning and development,
hence effective career development programs can contribute
to a knowledgeable, highly skilled and sustainable workforce.
Similarly, Salopek (2008, 24) describes employee training as the
transference of traditional job-related knowledge and skills and
career development to activities which facilitate movement within
an organisation such as performance management, succession
planning and promotions.
With industry experiencing continual skills shortages,
organisations may take the step in employing less or differently
qualified workers in the areas encountering a skills shortage. This
involves the recruitment of less skilled workers, work reorganisation
and an increase in training, whether internal or purchased from a
training provider (Shah and Burke 2003, 8). The below examples
demonstrate how different industries have redesigned and
redeveloped training and career development initiatives to attract
workers into areas that are facing a skills or labour shortage.
training & dEvElopmEnt agEncy for SchoolS (uk)
The UK has established a facility and web portal for teachers to
access in regards to their training and career development. It is
called the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA).
The TDA is an executive, non-departmental public body of the
Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) (refer to
www.tda.gov.uk). The TDA assists in streamlining communications
with schools regarding development and deployment of teachers
within the government education system. TDA is primarily a
one-stop-shop for information in relation to training, qualification
and career development.
According to TDA’s website, recruitment figures state that
39,600 people commenced teacher training in 2006/2007 and
nearly one third of people entering the teaching profession were
above the age of 30. This demonstrates that the information and
facilities provided by the TDA are greatly increasing people’s ability
to easily make the transition to a teaching career. TDA also assists
in the recruitment of teachers; national advertising campaigns
using television, print and radio advertisements based on the
slogan “Use your head. Teach”, have contributed to attracting
applicants to the teaching arena.
Image courtesy of Tourism Queensland
11Attracting Applicants – training & Career Development initiatives
The TDA provides information on pathways to get into teaching,
how to apply for teacher training, training options and information
regarding financial and non-financial benefits. A recent study
conducted by the TDA on 31,000 UK residents, revealed that
one in four 45-50 year olds (23%) are planning a new career in
teaching. Already, the trend for older people to change careers
to teaching is happening in the UK. A media release published
on TDA’s website, states that the number of 45-50 year olds
joining the profession has nearly doubled over the last five years,
from 682 gaining Qualified Teacher Status in 2002, to 1,122 in
2006, due to pay and career progression opportunities improving.
The outcomes of implementing training and career development
initiatives that have been designed and developed by the TDA
have resulted in an improved status and image of teachers and
therefore difficulty in recruiting teachers has been significantly
reduced. In addition, the quality of teacher training has improved
due to the consistency in the delivery of materials. This has
enabled TDA to promote best practice training to all teachers and
has led to an overall improvement of the government’s education
system. This is summarised in TDA’s vision – “To secure an
effective school workforce that improves children’s life chances”.
doorWayS 2 conStruction
A joint initiative between Construction Training Queensland
(CTQ) and the Building and Construction Industry Training
Fund (BCITF) has developed and implemented a training and
development program. The program enables Years 10,
11 and 12 students to gain the required industry and employability
skills to achieve a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship
(www.commerceqld.com.au, 2007). This initiative is called the
Doorways 2 Construction (D2C) program.
The D2C program introduces students to the building and
construction industry and assists them in gaining Certificate I in
Construction as well as achieving the Queensland Certificate of
Education. Students develop a number of skills and gain knowledge
pertaining to the construction industry. A minimum of 160 hours
on-site training is available to students. This work experience
program is advantageous to employers as they do not incur any
insurance or wage costs, and at the same time, employers are
given the opportunity to evaluate the capabilities of students
for possible employment to complete a trade or traineeship.
In addition, the program employs an industry mentor who liaises
with the schools, employers and students. The industry mentor
assists with developing curriculums that help teachers deliver
relevant industry training (www.commerceqld.com.au, 2007).
Due to the labour and skills shortage the construction industry
is facing now and in the future, this program ensures that students
are work ready and that they possess the basic skills required
to meet the job requirements of an apprenticeship or traineeship.
Furthermore, school-based apprenticeship programs reduce
the time the apprentice is on-site by one year and gives students
the opportunity to access a network of industry contacts.
Overall, this program enables students to decide if gaining a
trade or completing a traineeship is what they really want.
Furthermore, school-based apprenticeships and traineeships ensure
that the student’s commitment to completing an apprenticeship
or traineeship is strong at the commencement of the program.
accountSkillS
The accounting profession is currently experiencing a severe
shortage of qualified accountants. As advised by a reputable
recruitment agency, this profession has been encountering a skills
shortage for over ten years. To alleviate the problems of recruiting
qualified accountants, an organisation called “AccountSkills”
has been set up to train “para” accountants (James 2008, 4).
The para-accountant’s role is created on the same basis as
paralegal and paramedical roles. The training program is called the
Para Professional Accounting Technician (PPAT) program and it is
based on the apprenticeship model. Commencing in May 2008,
the program combines work and study over two years.
The trainees will be paid at an hourly rate and they will also receive
up to $15000 towards training for the duration of the program
(James 2008, 4). As published in The Age, Robert Hutt from the
Association of Accounting Technicians, states that “this new
occupational category is evolving in the accounting profession as a
result of a shortage of professional accountants, and will become
an indispensable tier in the accounting services supply chain”.
The above examples of training and career development initiatives
emphasise the importance of developing employee skills.
Such initiatives can contribute towards changing attitudes
within the organisation, and new ideas being communicated
thus resulting in organisations reinventing themselves for the
better (Daniels 2003, 39). Shah and Burke (2003, 35) agree
that organisations who create a training culture within, have a
longer-term perspective on training and therefore will benefit from
increased innovation and profits. In addition, learning new skills
can build effective teams, improve quality standards and meet
corporate objectives, therefore contributing to increased employee
retention and organisations gaining a sustainable competitive
advantage (Daniels 2003, 39).
Attract, Develop and Retain: Initiatives to Sustain a Competitive Workforce
Retention stRAtegies
top 10 rEtEntion-Building haBitS
that corporate leaders should adopt to retain their best staff
1. Show genuine interest and appreciation.
2. Make work meaningful.
3. Ask courageous questions.
4. Grow competencies, situationally.
5. Meet one-on-one, routinely.
6. Make retention everyone’s responsibility.
7. Be a career-builder
8. Help people get an “A”.
9. Manage the meaning of change.
10. Walk your talk.
table 4: Retention StrategiesSource: Salary increases are not the answer to retaining staff, says leadership expert, Ken Blanchard. 2007. Al Bawaba, January 24 2007.
Exit intErviEWS
The so-called “war for talent” has significantly increased the need
for exit interviews. An exit interview is a discussion between a
representative of an organisation and a person whose employment
with that organisation has ended (Giacalone and Duhon 1991, 83).
It is conducted during one of the employee’s last working days.
Primarily used as part of strategic human resource development,
this tool can contribute to reducing an organisation’s voluntary
turnover and improve the quality of the workplace (Giacalone and
Duhon 1991, 83).
Exit interviews can be useful in gathering information from
employees regarding their perceptions, impressions and
experiences of the organisation (Giacalone and Duhon 1991, 84),
although it is questionable if the information gathered is valuable.
Giacalone, Knouse and Montagliani (1997, 438) believe that
exiting employees may offer biased responses because of the
following reasons:
1. No personal benefit gained from changes resulting from
honest responses in the exit interview;
2. An employee may fear repercussions, such as negative
recommendations to prospective employers and
3. The employee believes that the information they provide will
never be used by the organisation to implement changes in
policy, nor create a more efficient workplace.
Conversely, results from a recent survey of 1227 people
conducted by Talent2 in early 2008 revealed that sixty percent
the current skills crisis continues to put
pressure on employers and has resulted
in employers putting significant efforts
into retaining and developing staff. a survey
of 7000 employers conducted in australia
and new Zealand, done by Hudson,
a major recruitment organisation,
revealed that forty four percent of employers
have said that staff development and
retention is their top priority for 2008
(www.humanresourcesmagazine.com.au).
Organisations that endeavour to investigate the reasons
why their employees decide to look for a new job can
assist them in developing and implementing strategies
to retain their talented employees and prevent turnover
(Marley-Wallace 2007, 28). Issues concerning relationships
with immediate supervisors, opportunities for career
development and training, as well as personal and
professional growth can all be reasons associated with
an employee’s intent to stay (Tate 2007, 16).
Marley-Wallace (2007, 28) believes that organisations who
fail to develop retention strategies can potentially encounter:
decreases in productivity, increases in absenteeism,
increases in voluntary employee turnover and a reduction
in the quality and delivery of products and/or services.
Tate (2007, 16) claims that the key to retaining productive
employees is to make their working environment as
conducive as possible for the accomplishment of the
company’s business goals and objectives. A very retention-
focused company successfully uses “employee think
tanks” to brainstorm ideas around corporate matters
(DeMarco 2007, 9). With reference to table 4 (see below),
such retention-building habits can be a starting point for
organisations to develop retention strategies to help build
a loyal and committed workforce.
13Retention strategies
of respondents were happy to give their honest opinion when
leaving an organisation (Mulhall 2008, 8). Offering and maintaining
strict confidentiality to exiting employees is the key to successfully
conducting exit interviews (Kirk 2008, 13). Information received
from the interview should be incorporated into a general report for
management regarding human resources issues (Kirk 2008, 13).
As a result, exiting employees are aware that there are no personal
connections to their feedback obtained from the exit interview,
and there is no potential for adverse repercussions, therefore the
feedback received assists in implementing changes to improving
the performance and productivity of an organisation.
Work-lifE BalancE
Organisations that adopt flexible workplace policies give
employees the opportunity to manage their own time,
therefore giving them the opportunity to make more choices
as to how to combine their work and personal responsibilities
(Marley-Wallace 2007, 29). Adjusting work patterns for everyone,
regardless of caring responsibilities, age, race, gender or disability,
can help employees find a routine that enables them to easily
combine work with other responsibilities and aspirations (Dunne
2007, 29). Effective work-life balance programs are focused on
solving any personal issues that can distract employees from their
work (Szczypkowski 2007, 11). Hence work-life balance (WLB)
programs and initiatives can have many benefits for both the
employer and the employee (refer to Figure 3).
An example of successful WLB initiatives that were implemented
was demonstrated by the Wrexham County Borough Council
(WCBC) in the United Kingdom. In 2000, the UK Government’s
Department of Trade and Industry launched the Work Life Balance
Challenge Fund throughout England and Scotland to assist private
and public sector organisations with funding to develop and
implement WLB initiatives (Dunne 2007, 29). The WCBC employs
more than 6,500 people and its main aims associated with
implementing WLB initiatives were to assist with the following:
• Recruitment of key/professional roles;
• Retention of key groups, eg. social workers;
• Reduction of absenteeism arising from dual demands,
i.e. work pressures versus pressures outside of work
(Dunne 2007, 30).
thE BEnEfitS of Work/lifE BalancE
Business Benefits
• Greater cost-effectiveness and efficiency, such as savings
on overheads when employees work from home or less
downtime for machinery when 24-hour shifts are worked.
• Ability to attract a higher level of skills because the business
is able to attract and retain a skilled and more diverse
workforce. Also, reduced recruitment costs.
• More job satisfaction and better staff morale.
• Greater continuity as staff who might otherwise have left are
offered solutions they can manage. Many employers find that
a better WLB has a positive impact on staff retention and on
employee relations, motivation and commitment.
• Increased customer satisfaction and loyalty as a result of
the above.
• Improved competitiveness – with motivated staff the driving
force behind a company, it will be able to react quicker to
changes in the marketplace.
• Increased staff efficiency through better motivation and
reduced stress and absenteeism through sickness.
• Improved employee relations.
employee Benefits
• More flexibility to fit in with lifestyle demands or needs.
• Increased control over working day.
• Ability to choose hours to suit efficiency –
eg. those able to work more effectively in the morning
can leave earlier in the evening.
• Reduced stress levels.
• Increased motivation and passion for work.
• Opportunity for skilled workers to return to work while
balancing social and domestic needs.
• Empowerment of staff.
figure 2: The Benefits of Work/Life Balance.Source: Hayley Dunne (2007). Putting balance into business. Strategic HR Review, 6(6): 28-31.
Across all departments within the Council, more than fifty projects
were piloted over a period of three years. The following Work-Life
Balance initiatives were implemented:
• Removal of core hours, but with compulsory
self-rostering implemented;
• Extension of the working day to promote staggered
working and extended opening hours;
Attract, Develop and Retain: Initiatives to Sustain a Competitive Workforce
Retention stRAtegies
• Weekend working – as part of the contracted working
week and at no additional cost to the council;
• Purchase of additional leave;
• Compressed week/fortnight working;
• Ad-hoc working from home – target and time specific
and promoted as the exception rather than the norm;
• Increased carry-over of additional hours (over and above
the usual maximum in the flexible hours scheme) capped
at a maximum of 21 hours per four-week period;
• Unlimited swipes (in time recording system) for breaks
to attend medical or other appointments;
• Staggered leave year (for some teams) to avoid the usual
end-of-year problem of too many employees wishing to
use up their annual leave allocation at the same time.
The results showed a significant decrease in staff turnover and
staff absenteeism. The main advantage of the implementation
of the various WLB initiatives considered by employees of the
council were the staggered hours – allowing them time to attend
to demands outside of work (Dunne 2007, 31). The above example
demonstrates that WLB programs which are designed to meet
the unique needs of an organisation’s employee population can
reduce absences and improve retention. By assessing employee
needs and committing to an ongoing evaluation of WLB programs,
an organisation can ensure that WLB programs have a positive
impact on the organisation in terms of reduced absenteeism and
improved productivity and retention (Szczypkowski 2007, 12).
DeMarco (2007, 10) recommends that an organisation’s culture
supports the work-life balance programs they have put into place.
Organisations that are adjusting and changing to the new work-life
balance approach are experiencing employees who are more loyal
and committed to the companies they represent (DeMarco 2007,
10). Therefore, organisational culture is a contributing factor in
determining employee satisfaction, intention to stay and whether
employees recommend their organisation to others as a good
place to work (Marley-Wallace 2007, 29).
Wheeler et al. (2006, 107) agrees that a strong organisational
culture increases an employee’s intent to remain in an organisation.
Depending on the industry, employers should assess which WLB
initiatives would minimise disruption of the workplace due to
demands outside of work and at the same time, aim to use such
initiatives to increase productivity. Below (refer to Table 5) is a
list of other WLB initiatives put in place by various organisations
to increase employee commitment and loyalty, thus increasing
employee retention.
morE pErkS & policiES to rEtain EmployEES
• Dry-cleaning services provided to employees
• Food shopping services
• DVD/Video rental facilities
• Financial planning services
• Insurance discounts – health, home, car and pet policies
• Stress helplines
• Free medical checkups/health screening
• Career breaks/sabbatical leave
• On-site child crèches
• Provision of after school care
table 5: Various WLB InitiativesSource: Anon. 2000. UK firms introduce work/life balance perks to tempt staff. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 21(1/2): 128.
Image courtesy of Tourism Queensland
15Retention strategies – training & Career Development initiatives
Retention stRAtegies – tRAining & CAReeR Development initiAtives
training and career development can play a
vital role in employee retention. it is becoming
a widespread understanding amongst employers
that employees view a comprehensive career
development plan as an attractive benefit.
training and career development have become
a significant part of the total rewards package.
By formulating clear career goals for each employee,
along with the resources and specific pathways to achieve the
goals, and in conjunction with continuous management support,
organisations can benefit from increased employee loyalty
(Marley-Wallace 2007, 29). A way of formulating specific career
goals and assisting employees with their career development within
an organisation is through career counselling. Career counselling
can be defined as an intervention to help individuals assess their
overall strengths and weaknesses as job candidates in the labour
market (Feldman 2001, 28). The services of a career counsellor can
be used internally or outsourced by an organisation.
carEEr counSElling
In 2002, Deloitte and Touche USA, an accounting and
consulting organisation, set up a career coaching program
called “Deloitte Career Connections”, primarily used for career
counselling. The program helps employees develop their skills
in job areas other than their own and also assists employees to
consider other jobs where their knowledge, skills and experience
can be utilised and could help them with their career progression.
There are thirteen full time career coaches employed by the firm
and since its inception, the coaches have provided one-on-one
counselling to about 3,500 partners and employees (Gordon
2006, 27). The organisation estimates that the program has
retained at least 650 employees since 2002 and believes that
these employees would have left the organisation had there been
no access to a confidential career coach (Gordon 2006, 27).
With a total workforce of 35,000 U.S. employees, Deloitte’s
career coaching program has become an integral part of the
organisation’s culture. The program includes an intranet site (which
attracts approximately 2000 hits per day) dedicated to coaching
skills, e-learning courses, book summaries and other resources
to assist employees with enhancing their skills and improving their
knowledge of the industry they work in (Gordon 2006, 28).
The organisation consists of an array of specialised services within
the financial sector, such as audits, taxes, consulting and financial
advisory services. The program has contributed towards the
organisation’s low turnover and high retention. The organisation
believes that one of the main reasons a person stays with the
organisation is because someone took an interest in their career,
that is, the career coach (Gordon 2006, 29). In addition,
the program demonstrates to their employees that they are
valued and that ongoing mentoring and career development is
as equally important to the organisation as it is to their employees.
Sothern (2002, 37) concedes that career planning programs can
actually increase employee loyalty when they see the organisation
is taking a vested interest in their future. In addition, a definitive
career planning program may be beneficial to the organisation,
as it may identify which employees are most likely to stay for the
long term to fulfil such career goals.
lEarning portalS/E-lEarning
Similar to Deloitte and Touche, the Hilton Hotel has also established
a learning portal accessible to all Hilton employees worldwide.
With over 400 Hilton hotels worldwide in 82 countries, Hilton’s
mission is to lead the way in the hospitality sector, and providing
employees with access to consistent, quality training is critical to
achieving this mission (Balwin-Evans 2006, 36). The learning portal
plays a key role in hotel guests receiving the same high level of
customer service at whichever Hilton hotel they stay at.
The learning portal is called the “Hilton University” and is arranged
into different “faculties” such as operations, finance, business
development, HR, faculty of management skills, faculty of
executive education (aimed at senior managers) and the faculty
of research. All of these faculties provide employees with a
reference library of resources to enhance and improve their
knowledge of the organisation (Baldwin-Evans 2006, 36).
The philosophy behind the Hilton University is to be progressive,
future-oriented and to embrace technology (Baldwin-Evans 2006,
36). It also aims to encourage and support continuous personal
and professional development whilst at the same time offering
consistent approach to training. In areas such as communication
and customer service, e-learning has been a cost-effective way
to deliver training and improve the generic skills of Hilton’s
workforce (Baldwin-Evans 2006, 36).
Furthermore, Hilton’s portal provides employees with on-line
coaching, mentoring and virtual classroom environments which
enables geographically dispersed employees to learn together,
share ideas and discuss best practice with colleagues in other
countries (Baldwin-Evans 2006, 36). In 2005, Hilton surveyed
almost 2000 employees to gain information on their employees’
Attract, Develop and Retain: Initiatives to Sustain a Competitive Workforce
perceptions of the Hilton University (Baldwin-Evans 2006, 37).
Almost three quarters of the respondents were of the opinion
that learning opportunities specific to their needs could be
easily located and accessed (Baldwin-Evans 2006, 37).
Ninety-five percent of respondents appreciated the opportunity
to develop their knowledge. Thirty-five percent of respondents
said that being offered developmental opportunities was
“the most important” factor for them when deciding to continue
their career with Hilton (Baldwin-Evans 2006, 38).
Since a learning culture within an organisation can bring about
positive results in regards to productivity and employee retention,
some businesses go as far as tying pay rises and bonuses to
achieving learning milestones. Such milestones include
completion of certain coursework or receiving new certification.
This demonstrates that the organisation values employees’ efforts
to enhance their knowledge and skills (Messmer 2006, 14).
Conversely, Glen (2006, 44) believes that some employees
forego seeking formal educational training and development
opportunities. Rather, skilled, high-potential people (those likely
to comprise the core of organisation talent) will increasingly
seek experienced-based career leverage opportunities to
rapidly develop their careers and to enhance their personal
marketability. Such career leverage opportunities include split
roles, lateral moves, participation in key organisational projects
and secondments (Glen 2006, 44).
Organisations that offer continuous learning tend to retain
employees (Sothern 2002, 37). Thus, a learning culture within an
organisation will have a positive impact on productivity because
employees are not only improving on existing skills, they are
developing new skills and therefore turnover is minimised (Sothern
2002, 37), especially if specialised skills unique to the organisation
are the main focus of training and career development initiatives.
mEntoring
Mentoring can be another way to promote a continuous learning
culture. Pettit (2004, 20) believes that mentoring can improve
communication between departments and, most importantly,
staff retention. Typically, mentoring programs are offered to
graduates, trainees and executives and involve the mentor being
a senior member of the organisation. Whilst most mentoring
programs utilise senior members of the organisation to act as
a mentor, external mentoring may also have a positive impact
on staff retention. External mentoring involves linking someone
from the organisation to someone from a community project or
school (Pettit 2004, 20).
The fifth largest UK energy provider, EDF Energy, has 11,300
staff and twenty percent of employees are involved with a
community investment program (Pettit 2004, 20). A spokesperson
from EDF states that such community involvement helps with
team-building, management skills and bonding amongst different
departments across the organisation. An example of this is EDF’s
IT Environment Manager, whose mentor is the head-teacher from
a nearby high school. Although these two roles are distinctly
different, the advice provided by the teacher in relation
to structuring and holding meetings, drawing upon action points
from meetings, as well as advice on areas such as risk management,
has been beneficial for the IT Environment Manager (Pettit 2004,
20). The IT Environment Manager concedes such a program,
which involves external mentors, has broadened his knowledge
and allowed him to increase his people skills (Pettit 2004, 21).
Moreover, there is a general consensus amongst employees at
EDF Energy that involvement with the community has contributed
to improving the culture of the organisation (Pettit 2004, 21).
The external mentoring program benefits the mentee in terms of
the soft skills, such as coaching and listening. The program is
not theory-based and the skills gained are easily translated back
into the workplace (Pettit 2004, 21). It is important that people are
prepared for mentoring programs, so that the mentor and mentee
are provided with proper training and they know what they will get
out of the mentoring program, how it should work and how it is
supported by the HR Department and the organisation as a whole.
Wheeler et al. (2006, 109) agrees that a well-structured mentoring
program can be used to establish consistent and unambiguous
work values and norms.
EmployEE EngagEmEnt vS. EmployEE involvEmEnt
Engaged employees ’buy into’ the direction of the business,
feel positive and motivated, but won’t do anything differently,
states Jeremy Starling (2007, 7), Managing Director of INVOLVE,
an employee relations organisation which helps senior
management get employees committed to the company they
work for. However, involved employees are active in the business,
partake in change and ‘own’ initiatives (Starling 2007, 7).
“ Engagement is passive, involvement is active”.
Starling, J. Strategic Communication Management,
Dec 2007 12(1):7
17Retention strategies – training & Career Development initiatives
Retention stRAtegies – tRAining & CAReeR Development initiAtives
from all employees, supporting the notion that employee
involvement brings about benefits such as lower turnover and
increased productivity, thus having a positive impact on the
organisation’s bottom line.
program at a glancE
industry: Health Care
company: Grady Memorial Hospital
Program type: Employee recognition
objective: Create a work environment to improve the patient
experience, reduce turnover and project a positive image to
the local community.
Strategy and execution: Under an umbrella effort called
Care Always, the hospital formed three employee teams
– patient satisfaction and measurement, standards of
performance, and rewards and recognition – to improve
both the patient and worked experiences.
results: In three years, Grady’s turnover was reduced from
25% to 15%.
table 6: The “Care Always” program – The Grady Memorial Hospital, Oklahoma, USA. Source: Rauch, M. 2005. Power to the People. Incentive. March 1, 20-21
HSBC, a New York-based bank in the USA implemented a
“Great Ideas” program. The program rewards workers who
make efficiency and cost-improvement suggestions (Earle 2003,
16). In 2002, more than 1500 employees submitted more than
2200 suggestions, and in return, employees whose ideas were
implemented received generous cash, stock and merchandise
prizes (Earle 2003, 16). In the same year, HSBC adopted more
than 120 ideas resulting in a value to the company of nearly
$3million (Earle 2003, 16). Engaging employees in important
decision making can contribute to higher retention, especially
if employees are recognised for their effort. The culture of
involvement should be a two-way dialogue and a genuine
response to employee ideas is a significant key to employee
engagement and boosting morale amongst employees.
The Grady Memorial Hospital located in Oklahoma, USA
empowers three teams of workers selected from various
departments to maintain a motivating work environment.
The program called “Care Always” implemented in 2001
(refer to Table 6), was created to put more emphasis on employee
retention and work towards creating a better working environment.
The group is responsible for providing solutions for workplace
motivation and incentives (Rauch 2005, 20). If initiatives are
employee generated, there is a possibility for better buy-in
Image courtesy of Tourism Queensland
Attract, Develop and Retain: Initiatives to Sustain a Competitive Workforce
ConClusion
Furthermore, promoting a positive work environment by
implementing effective mentoring schemes can lead to establishing
unambiguous work values and norms. Clear, achievable outcomes
formed from the mentoring scheme can assist employees in
understanding the environment in which they work, and what is
expected of them. External mentoring can be used to positively
enhance the culture of the organisation as well as to create a
continuous learning environment.
Encouraging employees to develop their own initiatives and
actively partake in implementing positive change within their
role can lead to employees feeling more positive and motivated
towards their job. Employee involvement builds morale, and
therefore can attract and retain talented workers.
Overall, providing employees with a positive work environment
and sufficient resources that are conducive to achieving
goals can increase employee loyalty. Strong employee loyalty
and commitment can significantly improve an organisation’s
competitive advantage and therefore contribute to an
organisation’s long term sustainability.
today, industry is facing an employee-driven
market, therefore it is up to the organisation to
design, develop and implement strategies that
will produce positive outcomes in attracting and
recruiting employees. the emphasis is on how
unique these strategies can be in order to attract
and retain talented employees. the initiatives
presented in this paper are designed to provide
readers with ideas that they can take and align
to their own organisation.
Utilising technology to support such strategies can have
the ability to enhance and strengthen one’s workforce,
whether it be attracting applicants through job advertisements,
or using an intranet to train and develop existing employees.
Involving employees in the decision-making process,
promoting a learning culture and implementing various work-
life balances can all be effective strategies to retain employees,
although such strategies must be aligned to the organisation’s
strategic corporate plan in order for them to be successful.
Image courtesy of Tourism Queensland
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