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April 10 HR News

News Ways To Recruit And Retain Staff

Last weeks news included challenges in Japan and this week showcases two interesting articles. The first is from Smart Company on how McDonalds are using snapchat (the app) to recruit http://www.smartcompany.com.au/people-human-resources/recruitment-hiring/mcdonalds-trials-recruitment-via-snapchat-focused-on-millenials/

The second article is from Aberdeen Essentials on retaining sales staff http://www.aberdeenessentials.com/cmo-essentials/can-get-sales-reps-stick-around/

If you are having difficulty and low response rates from traditional methods, maybe using apps like snapchat is something to think about. Just like any marketing campaign you need to go where your market is. So if you are trying to recruit the type of people who are on snapchat then McDonalds could be onto something.
I’ve included the second article because good recruitment is only one piece of the puzzle and keeping staff is vital to getting an RoI for your recruitment.

The key tips from these articles:
1. When recruiting, placews your ads or your word of mouth into the communities where your ideal or target employee is “hanging out”
2. When considering ways to retain staff tailor those methods to the nature or the preferences of the staff. The Aberdeen article is for Sales staff and autonomy and freedom may be more valued than by an employee in a risk management or detailed administration role (they may want clear guidance)
3. You need to be very clear about what type of skills and person you need in your business before you begin to recruit or hope to retain them

Creating A Workplace Of Respect

The next 2 articles address diversity and harassment and they’ve been included because one key way to retain good people is to create and foster a culture and workplace where people (including the leaders and owners) are respected.

The first article from McKinsey focusing-on-what-works-for-workplace-diversity focuses on some very practical tips related to diversity.

The second article from HC Online gives publicity to a series of sexual harassment prevention videos by David Schwimmer (one of the actors in Friends) http://www.hcamag.com/hr-news/friends-star-launches-workplace-sexual-harassment-video-235042.aspx

Both are relevant here as the topics, in my view, relate to engaging your people and getting the best results. It’s not about gender, it’s about an environment where a range of perspectives can be raised and brought into effect.

Eliminating sexual harassment is about respect and appropriate workplace behaviour.

The key tips from these articles are:
1. Messages about appropriate workpalce behaviour are still needed. You mnay not need David Schwimmer in a video but you as a leader do need to have clear policies and guidelines and role models for approproate behaviour.
2. Diverse thinking and views can be challenging to manage, so it’s important to adopt a broader change management approach to engage different views.
3. Workplaces are continually evolving and the new employees that you bring in are part of this process

Managing All Of This Takes Effort And Systems

If you are noticing an emphasis on coaching and skill development for leaders then the previous two columns may explain why.

In an ever changing workplace with significant amounts of legislation and social media making feedback and commentary immediately public, there is a lot of pressure on leaders to perform. To perform well.

With standards of behaviour at work being the way they are, and your self esteem and pride in what you do involved as well, sometimes it feels very hard to be able to to “the right thing”

Guidance is around and does need to be sought out. Whether it is with someone in your company who can provide a sounding board and guidance, or your HR department and certainly your people policy must be up to date (that’s a requirement of the Fair Work Act)

People are seeking mentors and coaches at a greater rate – choose wisely and ensure that whoever you seek advice from has both the knowledge and capability to deliver what is required.

It’s easy to give advice but hard to accurately assess the quality of that advice until it’s tested in practice.

One final article offers tips on selecting a HRIS or human resource information system. YOu can download a guide here http://www.hcamag.com/white-papers/download-a-guide-for-choosing-a-great-hris-234723.aspx from a sponsor of HC online
There are many systems out there, this guide may help you define which system will suit you best

It is becoming increasingly clear that people management and leadership is becoming a time consuming and demanding skill set that ought to have the same emphasis as any specialist skill set.

Get good training, coaching and advice to support you and help you to be the most effective people leader that you can be.