Mining Industry Skills Centre Workforce Retention Series Paper 1

Attract, Develop and Retain:

Initiatives to Sustain a Competitive Workforce

By Karyn Cooper

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 Goal 1 To investigate and communicate the outcomes of a variety of attraction strategies used by the mining and other industries. 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 intake of apprentices in the mining industry and to maximise the available talent pool for apprenticeship recruitment with appropriate training and education opportunities. 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. PRIORITY STRATEGY TwO: WORKFORCE DEVELOpMENT To monitor and align education and training programs to the knowledge and skills required for career pathways within the industry. To increase the uptake of accredited training within the mining industry where it accurately reects the industrys skilling needs across a range of Australian Qualication Framework (AQF) levels and for there to be condence that accredited training can produce the appropriate level of skill attainment.

Goal 2

Goal 3

For the industry to have leading practice training and mentoring options to produce highly skilled supervisors and managers. To create industry specic 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 To identify and model training delivery frameworks for different types of skill development within the industry. For the industry to strive for leading practice in training and move beyond training focused on compliance. For the industry to value the positive outcomes of workforce development and how it can impact on an organisations bottom line. To ensure the training of current and future employees delivers the skills industry will require as it adopts new technologies.

Goal 4

Goal 5

To develop a positive image of the mining industry and career possibilities through effective and strategic marketing and communication. To investigate and communicate retention strategies used by the mining and other industries.

Goal 6 Goal 7

Goal 8

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.

CONTENTS
BRIEF OVERVIEw INTROdUCTION ATTRACTING AppLICANTs
Employment Marketing E-Recruitment Employee Referrals Workplace Diversity Attracting Female Applicants Employer Branding

2 3 4
4 5 6 7 8

ATTRACTING AppLICANTs TRAINING & CAREER DEVELOpMENT INITIATIVEs

Training & Development Agency for Schools (UK) Doorways 2 Construction AccountSkills

10
10 11 11

RETENTION STRATEGIEs
Exit Interviews Work-Life Balance

12
12 13

RETENTION STRATEGIEs TRAINING & CAREER DEVELOpMENT INITIATIVEs

Career Counselling Learning Portals/E-Learning Mentoring Employee Engagement vs. Employee Involvement

15
15 15 16 16

CONCLUsION REFERENCEs

18 19

Contents

BrIEF OVErVIEW

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. Specically, 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.

 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)

Image courtesy of Tourism Queensland

Attract, Develop and Retain: Initiatives to Sustain a Competitive Workforce

INTrOdUcTION

At this time of rapid environmental change and erce competition, one of the most signicant factors for an organisations 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, specically 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 benets of such initiatives.

Image courtesy of Tourism Queensland

Introduction

ATTracTING APPLIcaNTS

In todays tight employment market, the continuous search to nd qualied, talented employees is an ever increasing, sometimes difcult, process. For an organisations ongoing success, ensuring the talent pool is infused with productive employees is crucial. For an individuals success, being recruited by the right organisation is a signicant individual need (Phillips and Connell 2003, 136). Thus organisations that proactively seek to implement effective recruitment practices can reap the benets 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 specic 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 Londons 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 someones 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 policemens 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 ofcer? 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 qualied 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 ofcers 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).

Attract, Develop and Retain: Initiatives to Sustain a Competitive Workforce

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 Attraction Source: Branham, L. 2005. Planning to become an employer of choice. Journal of Organizational Excellence. 24(3): 57-68.

Womens 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 organisations website can have a signicant 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 applicants interest and willingness to relocate to such an area. Cappeli (2001, 141) strongly recommends that organisations capitalise on the internets 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 Quazis (2003, 32) study, on-line recruitment relying upon an organisations website can be an ineffective practice as the job seeker does not visit a companys 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, Cappelis (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.

E-ReCRUITMeNT

 The war for talent has moved to the Internet. Youd 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 inuence 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. Lees (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 organisations 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

Attracting Applicants

 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 organisations 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 organisations 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 ndings 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 signicant 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 spotters fee to all employees. Half the spotters 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 spotters 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 organisations own employees may be worth more and cost less in the long term than spending the money externally on recruitment agencies because the organisations 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 ve engineers take part in the interview (Tynan 2006, 40). This interviewing process has subsequently contributed to the recruitment of highly qualied staff, and in turn has contributed to lower staff turnover.

 Recruiting isnt 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.

Attract, Develop and Retain: Initiatives to Sustain a Competitive Workforce

ATTracTING APPLIcaNTS

WORKPLACe DIVeRsITY ATTRACTING FeMALe APPLICANTs Particular corporate images portrayed in recruiting advertisements may directly inuence 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 womens 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 eld to attract more women to the industry (Bawden 2008, 4). United Waters 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 ofce (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 exible practices has kept staff turnover at less than ten percent. IBM, one of Australias largest IT companies, is one of the countrys 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 Governments Agency for Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace for being the most Female-Friendly organisation. Similar to IBMs camp (refer to Table 2), detailed in a media release by AAP MediaNet (2007) is UBS AG Australia Branchs UBS AG Young Womens Leadership Academy. UBS AG Australia Branch works in the nance sector and they provide young women with the opportunity to attend a four-day residential course held in conjunction with Womens 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 nance (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 elds. Furthermore, such a program increases the organisations market brand and image amongst potential future female applicants.

Attracting Applicants

ATTracTING APPLIcaNTS

IBM AUsTRALIA FeMALe-FRIeNDLY WORKPLACe STRATeGIes Initiatives  Flexible Hours options to work from home.  Paid Maternity Leave  Conducts three camps for young women nationally. Duration: 1 week, primarily about IT industry and what it entails.  Vacation care program for IBM children  Flexible leave offers additional four weeks of annual leave, purchased through salary sacrice. Achievements & Benets  Technology enables women to work and care for children at home.  Financially stable whilst on maternity leave. 97% of women have returned from maternity leave over the last 10 years.  36% of IBM Australias graduate recruits are female, compared to less than 15% studying IT at university.  Gives working mothers peace of mind that their children are being cared for during the school holidays.  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 Australias Female-Friendly Workplace Strategies Source: 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).

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 qualied 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 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 exibility. Therefore, word of mouth can contribute to increasing both employee loyalty and quality recruitment. Employer branding is the communication of a companys 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.

 Employer branding showcases an organisations reputation to the community.

Johnson, M. and P. Roberts. Marketing Health Services. Spring 2006 26(1): 38-40.

Attract, Develop and Retain: Initiatives to Sustain a Competitive Workforce

RewARD ReCAP Employer branding generates numerous benets 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 ow, and energizes staff so they feel connected to the organisations long-term goals. Protability. Employee productivity increases, loyalty is fostered, and retention improves.
Figure 1: Employer Branding Benefits Source: 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.

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 signicant 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 study Source: www.employerbranding.com.au (accessed January 24th 2008)

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 organisations 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 difcult 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 organisations 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 inuence perceptions amongst all stakeholders. Ultimately, employer branding expresses what the experience will be like for job seekers on the inside.
Attracting Applicants

ATTracTING APPLIcaNTS TraINING & CarEEr DEVELOPMENT INITIaTIVES

Todays job market is predominantly employeedriven, thus it is essential that organisations respond to their employees needs by dening clear career paths in conjunction with offering non-nancial benets like exible 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 qualied 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 TDAs website, recruitment gures 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 peoples 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

Attract, Develop and Retain: Initiatives to Sustain a Competitive Workforce

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 TDAs website, states that the number of 45-50 year olds joining the profession has nearly doubled over the last ve 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 difculty in recruiting teachers has been signicantly 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 governments education system. This is summarised in TDAs vision To secure an effective school workforce that improves childrens 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 Certicate I in Construction as well as achieving the Queensland Certicate 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 students 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 qualied 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 qualied accountants, an organisation called AccountSkills has been set up to train para accountants (James 2008, 4). The para-accountants 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 prots. 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).

Attracting Applicants Training & Career Development Initiatives

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RETENTION STraTEGIES

The current skills crisis continues to put pressure on employers and has resulted in employers putting signicant 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 employees 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 companys business goals and objectives. A very retentionfocused 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.

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 everyones 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 Strategies Source: Salary increases are not the answer to retaining staff, says leadership expert, Ken Blanchard.2007.Al Bawaba,January24 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 employees last working days. Primarily used as part of strategic human resource development, this tool can contribute to reducing an organisations 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 benet 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 efcient workplace. Conversely, results from a recent survey of 1227 people conducted by Talent2 in early 2008 revealed that sixty percent

Attract, Develop and Retain: Initiatives to Sustain a Competitive Workforce

of respondents were happy to give their honest opinion when leaving an organisation (Mulhall 2008, 8). Offering and maintaining strict condentiality 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 nd 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 benets 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 Governments 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 Benets  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 nd 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 Benets  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 fty 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;

Retention Strategies

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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 exible 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 signicant 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 organisations 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 organisations 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 employees 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 crches Provision of after school care
Table 5: Various WLB Initiatives Source: 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

Attract, Develop and Retain: Initiatives to Sustain a Competitive Workforce

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 benet. Training and career development have become a signicant part of the total rewards package.
By formulating clear career goals for each employee, along with the resources and specic pathways to achieve the goals, and in conjunction with continuous management support, organisations can benet 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 dened 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 rm 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, Deloittes career coaching program has become an integral part of the organisations 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 nancial sector, such as audits, taxes, consulting and nancial
Retention Strategies Training & Career Development Initiatives

advisory services. The program has contributed towards the organisations 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 denitive career planning program may be benecial to the organisation, as it may identify which employees are most likely to stay for the long term to full 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, Hiltons 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, nance, 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 Hiltons workforce (Baldwin-Evans 2006, 36). Furthermore, Hiltons 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

15

perceptions of the Hilton University (Baldwin-Evans 2006, 37). Almost three quarters of the respondents were of the opinion that learning opportunities specic 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 certication. 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).
Attract, Develop and Retain: Initiatives to Sustain a Competitive Workforce

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 EDFs 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 benets 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 wont 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

RETENTION STraTEGIES TraINING & CarEEr DEVELOPMENT INITIaTIVES

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 signicant 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

from all employees, supporting the notion that employee involvement brings about benets such as lower turnover and increased productivity, thus having a positive impact on the organisations 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, Gradys 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

Image courtesy of Tourism Queensland

Retention Strategies Training & Career Development Initiatives

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CONcLUSION

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 ones 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 worklife balances can all be effective strategies to retain employees, although such strategies must be aligned to the organisations strategic corporate plan in order for them to be successful.

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 sufcient resources that are conducive to achieving goals can increase employee loyalty. Strong employee loyalty and commitment can signicantly improve an organisations competitive advantage and therefore contribute to an organisations long term sustainability.

Image courtesy of Tourism Queensland

Attract, Develop and Retain: Initiatives to Sustain a Competitive Workforce

REFErENcES

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Attract, Develop and Retain: Initiatives to Sustain a Competitive Workforce

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