Finding Employees - Places to Search

I have had several calls this month requesting help finding employees in this tight labor market. Some new avenues that we have explored that may help you connect with fresh labor supplies follow. Some take extra effort, but some are free. Developing your labor pool is also a part of developing your company recognition, marketing your business as a leader, or employer of choice.

• Internet advertising, i.e., Monster.com ($275 for 60 days), careerpath.com ($150 for 30 days) local web postings etc. 
  

•  Job boards at local colleges and universities, usually free. 
  

• Speak with college job placement programs, often they have opportunities, such as job fairs, or candidate knowledge. You can also target college program specialties such as marketing, or graphic arts. Send a flyer personally addressed to the college professors or counselors in those areas. 
  

• Network with high school counselors and job placement programs, and get the word out that you are an employer of choice. Let the world know that you are committed to cultivating talent and commit to on-the-job training programs for internships. Volunteer yourself and your staff for career days. 
  

• Target groups you have probably not considered previously such as older employees. More and more companies are recognizing the vales of hiring people over 50. They bring a wealth of experience, often perceived with higher credibility, and generally better work ethics than many generation-Xers. 
  

• Target mailings to potential talent "clusters". You can buy mailing lists by zip codes, or target areas that will allow you to do a bulk mailing to large pools of people. For example, apartment complexes and dorms that are heavily populated by college students. Another example, "young" retirement communities, like SunCity in Phoenix, or Leisure Care Villages in California, often a great resource for part time or even full time drivers, sales support, customer service reps, and so on. You can target areas or centers that have concentrations of specific talents such college departments, professional organizations, such as local marketing professional organizations, graphic artist groups, etc. In health care we would often contact the state associations for Nurses or other licensed health care workers and purchase a mailing list of new graduates or all licensed nurses and target a postcard campaign for a specific need.

Now go out and try something new to cultivate your future talent! It may or may not fill a need of today, but next month or next season you may get a letter of interest when you most need it - never mind the good will you will create with your efforts!

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Quote of the Month 

"Organization doesn’t really accomplish anything. Plans don’t accomplish anything, either. Theories of management don’t much matter. Endeavors succeed or fail because of the people involved. Only by attracting the best people will you accomplish great deeds.

"In a brain-based economy, your best assets are people. We’ve heard this expression so often that it’s become trite. But how many leaders really “walk the talk” with this stuff? Too often, people are assumed to be empty chess pieces to be moved around by grand viziers, which may explain why so many top managers immerse their calendar time in deal making, restructuring and the latest management fad. How many immerse themselves in the goal of cretaining an environment where the best, the brightest, the most creative are attracted, retained - and most importantly - unleashed?" 

                                                                                          -General Colin Powell

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Top Ten Ways to Motivate Employees 

1.      Personally thank employees for doing a good job – one on one, in writing, or both. Do it timely, often, and sincerely.

2.      Be willing to take the time to meet with and listen to employees as much as they need or want.

3.      Provide employees specific and frequent feedback about their performance. Support them in improving performance.

4.      Recognize, reward, and promote high performers; deal with low and marginal performers so that they improve or leave.

5.      Provide information on how the company makes and loses money, upcoming products, and services and strategies for competing. Explain the employee’s role in the overall plan.

6.      Involve employees in decisions, especially the decisions that affect them. Involvement equals commitment.

7.      Give employees a chance to grow and learn new skills; encourage them to be their best. Show them how you can help them meet their goals while achieving the organization’s goals. Create a partnership with each employee.

8.      Provide employees with a sense of ownership in their work and their work environment. This ownership can be symbolic: (for example, business cards for all employees whether they need them to do their jobs or not).

9.      Strive to create a work environment that is open, trusting, and fun. Encourage new ideas, suggestions, and initiative. Learn from, rather than punish for, mistakes.

10.  Celebrate successes – of the company, of the department, and of individuals in it. Take time for team- and morale-building meetings and activities. Be creative and fresh.

 - Top Ten Ways to Motivate Employees was reprinted from Managing for Dummies, by Bob Nelson and Peter Economy.

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HR Tip of the Month:

What should, and should not, be included in the personnel file?

Should:

• Employment application and resume

• Reference checks

• College transcripts (if applicable)

• Job description

• Records relating to hiring, promotion, demotion, transfer, layoff, rates of pay and other forms of compensation, and education and training records

• Records relating to other employment practices

• Letters of recognition

• Disciplinary notices or documents

• Performance evaluations

• Test documents used by an employer to make an employment decision

• Exit interviews 

Should not :

Immigration (I-9) Forms: You should keep all of your I-9’s together for easy access in the event of an audit. Depending on the size of the file, a folder or binder should do and as long as it is kept separately, you can attach copies of the I-9 support documentation such as drivers license, passport etc. 

Keep the following items in a separate file from the regular employee personnel files: 

• Medical/insurance records

• EEO/invitation to self-identify disability or veteran status records

• Safety training records

• Child support/garnishments

• Litigation documents

• Worker's compensation claims

• Requests for employment/payroll verification

Extracted from National Society of Human Resource Managers Whitepapers.

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