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People - Peeling the Workforce Onion Part 3

Workforce Therapy Files

Release Date: 10/17/2023

Interview with Brad Long - 2024 KY SHRM show art Interview with Brad Long - 2024 KY SHRM

Workforce Therapy Files

The Workforce Therapy Files team attended the 2024 Kentucky SHRM Conference, in Louisville.  We took the opportunity to interview over 20 professionals who stopped by our booth.   In this segment, we interview Brad Long, City of Madisonville Deputy City Administrator.  To learn more, visit:  Brad, thanks for stopping by to speak with us! That’s where we’ll leave the conversation for today.  Before we close the file, we invite you to reach out to us with questions, suggestions or other comments.  We’d love to hear from you.   Need...

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Interview with Kirsten Homer - 2024 KY SHRM show art Interview with Kirsten Homer - 2024 KY SHRM

Workforce Therapy Files

The Workforce Therapy Files team attended the 2024 Kentucky SHRM Conference, in Louisville.  We took the opportunity to interview over 20 professionals who stopped by our booth.   In this segment, we interview Kirsten Homer, City of Bowling Green.  To learn more, visit:    Kirsten, thanks for stopping by to speak with us!   That’s where we’ll leave the conversation for today.  Before we close the file, we invite you to reach out to us with questions, suggestions or other comments.  We’d love to hear from you. Need Help...

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Interview with Andrea Flanders - 2024 KY SHRM show art Interview with Andrea Flanders - 2024 KY SHRM

Workforce Therapy Files

The Workforce Therapy Files team attended the 2024 Kentucky SHRM Conference, in Louisville.  We took the opportunity to interview over 20 professionals who stopped by our booth.   In this segment, we interview Andrea Flanders, Director of Sponsor Relations for the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce.  To learn more, visit:   Andrea, thanks for stopping by to speak with us! Need Help Supporting Your Company’s Recruiting and Staffing Goals? We’re here to help.  You can contact us via our individual websites, depending on your specific needs or questions: ...

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The 5 Currencies of Work with Dr. Brad Shuck show art The 5 Currencies of Work with Dr. Brad Shuck

Workforce Therapy Files

File 16:  In today’s file, the team welcomes Dr. Brad Shuck to the podcast.  He is a researcher at the University of Louisville and a co-founder of OrgVitals, a data analytics platform.  The team has mentioned OrgVitals in previous episodes.  According to the website, it’s “the only solution that correlates and tracks organizational performance to employee wellbeing and culture, and then maps this across your organization for you to see the impact across relationships.”  It’s going to be a terrific discussion! What is OrgVitals? Brad co-founded OrgVitals with...

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The 5 Golden Rules of Recruiting Campaigns show art The 5 Golden Rules of Recruiting Campaigns

Workforce Therapy Files

File 15:  In today’s file, the team is going to focus on how to plan and execute effective recruiting campaigns. There are 5 Golden Rules to consider, before you begin. Molley begins with some stats about the podcast and the growth it’s experiencing.  Interestingly, most podcasts that launch never actually make it beyond 10 episodes.  It’s may sound surprising, but it’s true.  The Workforce Therapy Files podcast is on File 15 and continues to build steam. Jason transitions us into the main topic of the 5 Golden Rules of Recruiting Campaigns. The First Golden Rule...

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Finding Overlooked Candidates to Fill Your Roles show art Finding Overlooked Candidates to Fill Your Roles

Workforce Therapy Files

File 14:  In today’s file, the team discusses ways to overcome workforce gaps by attracting workers from non-traditional sources.  As the needs of your organization evolves, finding enough of the right candidates may be more challenging than it needs to be.  This file will offer some ways for you to identify and engage the marketplace. Jamie begins with a question/comment from a listener who brings up the point that there are more job openings than there are people to fill them in Kentucky (and other states).  In particular, the listener mentioned the metals companies...

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Walking the Tightrope of Talent Attraction show art Walking the Tightrope of Talent Attraction

Workforce Therapy Files

File 13:  In today’s file, the team focuses on the topic of talent attraction.  The environment has evolved and so has the way successful companies plan for success as it relates to recruiting and staffing their organizations.  Remember, there are compliance issues you should consider when promoting your job openings.  Are you ready to compete for your next, new hire? Look How Far We’ve Come Molley begins by describing how a call center she worked for attracted candidates, back in the day.  They posted openings in the Help Wanted section of the newspaper.  The...

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The Importance of Employer Branding show art The Importance of Employer Branding

Workforce Therapy Files

File 12:  In today’s file, the team dives into the importance of employer branding.  How does this fit in to a podcast that’s generally about recruiting, staffing and HR?  Simple.  If you want to attract quality employees, company leaders need to understand how their organization is viewed by the general public.  Is it a brand people want to associate with or are there negative connotations about the organization and its work environment?  If it’s the latter, there’s a direct connection between employer branding and its ability to effectively manage its...

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Breaking Up Is Hard To Do show art Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

Workforce Therapy Files

File 11:  In today’s file, the team dives into the topic of terminations.  Breaking up is hard to do, but it doesn’t have to be for either the employee or the manager delivering the news.  The key is to do it with dignity. Molley and Jamie begin with comments about how they’ve been in situations involving a decision to terminate an employee and how stressful the entire situation can be.  In situations involving a lack of performance, the separation should never come as a surprise to that individual.  However, when there are unforeseen layoffs, business closings...

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Recruiting Begins with Retention (Part 3 of 3) show art Recruiting Begins with Retention (Part 3 of 3)

Workforce Therapy Files

File 10:  In today’s file, the team wraps up a 3-part series focusing on how Recruiting Begins with Retention.  The discussion focuses on your employees who have been with you for 3 years and longer.  We’ll refer to them as “The Eddies.”  They are your “Steady-Eddies.” the team discussed those 0-6 month employees (“the Excitables”).  , the focus was on the six-month to 3-year employees (“the Evolvers”). Jamie begins by explaining that the Eddies, in part because of their tenure, are focused on how the organization is operating.  They are the...

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More Episodes

File 4:  In today’s file, we conclude a 3-part series dealing with workforce issues related to Process, Packages and People.  In part 1, we focused on Process.  In part 2 we discussed compensation Packages.  Today, we’ll focus on People.  Jamie, Molley and Jason are ready to help identify some of the issues employers have in effectively recruiting, hiring and retaining good talent. 

Editor’s Note:  If you missed the previous segments of this discussion, click here to listen to Part 1 of this series (“Process”).  Click here to listen to Part 2 (“Packages”).

Our #1 Asset:  People

Jason begins this discussion with the simple reminder, it’s about our people.  Sometimes we forget that it’s called Human Resources for a reason.  Molley comments that without the people, there would be no product or service to offer.  In fact, this aspect of recruiting has changed drastically and rapidly.

As the Boomers are leaving the workforce, the new environment is quite different.  For some companies this will present opportunities.  However, for others it will present challenges. 

The pandemic convinced many Boomers to evaluate their personal finances and quite a few decided they were in a position to simply retire.  Molley uses the example of her father who joined Phillip Morris at the age of 18 and retired from the same company after 30 years.  He then decided to pursue other areas of interest he’d wanted to do during his entire career, namely driving a dump truck and digging holes.  He didn’t pursue them earlier because, as a boomer, his mentality was focused on the traditional career path.  In his words, “It’s just what you did.” 

Jamie’s father had a similar experience.  He retired from the utility company and then took a role as a substitute, school janitor.  The opportunity allowed him to choose his work schedule and to get out of the house.

Jason gives a shout out to his dad, who’s starting his 50th year at John Deere. 

The point of this is that Boomers and Gen Z are very different in how they approach work and career aspirations (or should we say expectations). 

Meet Gen Z

This workforce segment want to work on their terms.  This may include taking on a non-traditional opportunity that suddenly appears, with the expectation of returning to their “real gig” afterwards.  This generation is not as dedicated to the company-loyalty mentality, as many of the Boomers were. 

Jason mentions how Gen Z wants to challenge the traditional understanding of work.  Jamie agrees and notes that when they are engaged, they’ll work really hard.  However, for them that’s not the end goal.  Molley describes a few Gen Zs she knows who enjoy working just long enough to earn what the need to cover the bills, and then they go explore/experience other opportunities, unrelated to work.

Jason notes how the time in which the Gen Z segment has grown up has radically impacted how they view life.  “Life is Short” is their common mentality.  They don’t necessarily want to spend all of it working as a cog in someone else’s wheel.

Steering the Cruise Ship

The challenge for companies and organizations is that while the workforce is changing, adapting to those changes (and related challenges) takes time.  It’s hard to turn a cruise ship.  It doesn’t happen on a dime.

Jamie offers in interesting observation.  Most of us now, have cell phones or computers enabling us to simplify purchasing.  Consider how easy it is to push a button and buy an item on Amazon, or an entire shopping cart of groceries from your local grocery store (and have it delivered to your doorstep).  The general expectation of how things are supposed to work has changed.

Jamie relates the above reality to how it affected a client’s hiring process.  The company had an online application, but didn’t fully understand the large number of applicants using a cell phone to complete the application.  The result was a significant rate of abandonment before the application was completed. 

The group discusses how a company or organization should spend time re-evaluating the information they actually need to capture and how they identify applicants vs. candidates. 

Jason comments on the importance of having a mobile-friendly application.  In digital marketing, this is referred to as an aspect of responsive-design. 

Leads vs. Applications

While a standard application process is often required for compliance issues (i.e. keeping the legal department happy), it may be more important to engage a prospective new-hire from a simple lead.  Consider ways to get the conversation started via text, emails and a phone conversation.  Screening by using a brief series of qualifiers, before transitioning them an application may yield a better result. 

Molley juxtaposes society’s focus on speed and “now” vs. a typical company’s antiquated application process.  Companies and organizations should look for ways to innovate and adapt their hiring process to better align with the mindset of the current workforce.  That is, if you want a shot at the best candidates for your open positions.

Are Old Paradigms Hindering Your Success?

Jamie relates a story of how a past client had identified a terrific candidate, but decided not to pursue him/her, because they didn’t submit a cover letter.  It’s interesting how self-imposed filters, which may or may not have anything to do with whether the candidate could perform and excel in the role, often results in a company missing out on the chance to hire an individual.  Our old paradigms may not be as valid as they used to be. 

Jason brings up the point that how a Boomer would have entered a job interview in the late 60s is completely different from how a Gen Z-er would today.  The candidate feels comfortable asking about how well the job will fit their life-style and interests.  The workforce is evolving and so is the power-dynamic. 

For a business needing to hire in today’s environment, it’s no longer a matter of if you’re going to have to change, but rather what is going to have to change.  Those sacrosanct views of what’s important are being torn down, out of necessity.

Removing Bias

Molley views this as the most difficult challenge in recruiting.  It can begin with the candidate’s name.  Typos can often be a disqualifying factor, but for the role, how critical will proper spelling actually be?  Did the candidate craft the résumé to the job, or was it generically submitted?  A point we discussed in File 1 is how it’s not uncommon for a candidate to submit applications for multiple jobs all at the same time. 

Jamie advises that companies need to make concessions and place the value of experience over a properly drafted cover letter and résumé.  Focus on the role, not the artificial assumptions that have crept into the hiring process over time.  Ask yourself, “What really matters and what doesn’t?”

Expect Differences

Molley explains how we understand a Boomer will approach and perform differently in a job interview than a Gen Z candidate.  The life-experiences are simply different.  Both candidates will bring different perspectives to the role or functions.  Having good mix can be to your advantage.  Again, you’ll need to begin asking, “What really matters?” 

Jason points out that many of the product and services you’re offering are going to be targeted to the Gen Z segment of society.  Who knows them better than another Gen Z?  Understanding what’s valuable to them, how they communicate and how they work may be best understood by someone who grew up with similar life experiences.

What Is Your Company’s Culture?

This is an important consideration for today’s job candidate.  Does your company’s culture align with their core values and expectations?  If not, how does a company begin to adapt its internal culture?

Interestingly, Jamie points out the recruiters and HR managers can wade into problems when they begin to evaluate a candidate based on “culture fit” during the interview.  She points out that when this screen is imposed, it’s actually exploiting your own biases.  Instead, Jamie recommends considering the culture you want to have and the values you find important.  Then, try to determine how individuals best contribute to that culture, not whether or not they fit.    

That’s where we’ll leave the conversation for today.  Before we close the file, we invite you to reach out to us with questions, suggestions or other comments.  We’d love to hear from you.

Need Help Supporting Your Company’s Recruiting and Staffing Goals?

We’re here to help.  You can contact us via our individual websites, depending on your specific needs or questions:

·      Jamie Swaim, SPHR – www.ParcelKnows.com

·      Molley Ricketts – www.IncipioWorks.com

·      Jason Heflin – www.CrowdSouth.com

 

We hope you found this file insightful and helpful.  Thank you for listening!