Unfold the mystery of recruiting and keeping your staff.
Many businesses are faced with a real staff shortage which is also attuned to a skills shortage in the current Australian labour market. Many surveys have been conducted and the results all seem to be the same - Generation Y appear not to be committed to the job and have unrealistic expectations about their salaries and what they should do in their jobs, and at the other end of the scale recruiting the more 'mature' generation brings with it cultural headaches some businesses don't have time to deal with.
There are a number of key factors to consider when you are recruiting staff to join your small business. You need to look at the core responsibilities of the job and what skills you are prepared to compromise on. You also need to consider what other jobs might the person be required to undertake. Although we 'expect' that people joining a small business (and in some case a family business) will be flexible and adaptable, employers need to take responsibility for explaining what the full job will entail. In the current employment market, candidates have so many choices, so it is important to present the job as accurately as possible during the interview so the candidate leaves the interview with most of their questions answered. Creating the right impression about the organisation in the initial interview goes along way to building a culture which people want to be apart of.
Generation Y employees can be very effective in some industries. Although they are being heavily scrutinised in most human resource circles and some small business employers are clearly staying away from employing them, they have the energy, capabilities and confidence which can be positive elements in your team environment. This new generation has been brought up to believe strongly in their own capabilities and this presents the challenge to the employer.
A few tips on how to handle these 'young guns' in your team. They want greater work life balance in their lives but they also bring a huge amount of energy to put out in their work place. If this energy is channeled in the right places both sides can be very happy. When communicating with Generation Y employees should use email or informal meeting structures. They are less intimidated by these forms of communication and will be less defensive when approached in this way. By making small changes such as these and fostering their talents and energies, employers can start to have an impact on the stability of this generation which is clearly lacking in their search for a career.
Looking more holistically at your recruitment retention strategies, employers should enable greater flexibility for their employees and create an inclusive work environment. They should acknowledge employees for their contribution to the business outside their standard remuneration such as dinner vouchers or an awards ceremony sponsored by the employer.
Retaining your staff and building corporate knowledge is a challenge for every employer but it can be achieved with a slight shift in management's attitude and flexibility.
For more information on how to handle the cultural differences of diverse generations in your team or to chat about a specific HR issue, call Philippa Murphy from Catch Recruitment for a confidential chat. Philippa is passionate about working with small business to assist them with their recruitment processess - so they have a lasting positive effect on their bottom line.