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The vice president of a medical center remarked
to me, "Today we're hiring people that three years ago we wouldn't
have interviewed." Now that makes you feel good about getting injured
or sick, doesn't it? Businesses are struggling for bodies and no
longer have the choices they once did. Still, I stick by what I've
said for years: An empty slot is better than the wrong person in
the slot.
Finding someone to fill a position isn't that difficult,
but finding and keeping someone who can produce high-quality results
might be. Employees are in shorter supply today than they were a
few years ago, but they are still looking for the same things my
parents did: meaningful work, good pay, and safe working conditions.
The difference is that my parents were patient, timid, and loyal.
Today's employees are straightforward, outspoken, and mobile. Work
needs to be fun, challenging, and rewarding. If a more enjoyable
environment exists elsewhere, then it's "Goodbye, current job."
Flexibility is on the lips of almost every employee.
Employees want
structure and direction along with choices and freedom. Using their
time productively is foremost, and time away from work for self
and family is a given. Understanding employees as individuals is
the key to long-term retention. Interview each employee about his
or her unique needs, motivations, and concerns.
Then flex the job
to match as much as possible. Stay committed to being fair to everyone.
And when you still end up interviewing and even hiring people that
previously would have been passed by, plan on a commitment to continuing
education and to managers becoming an ongoing resource for them.
Many less-than-ideal candidates can flourish when focused on the
right mission. |
