Getting Help with Your Recruiting and Staffing Objectives
Release Date: 11/29/2023
Workforce Therapy Files
File 28: In today’s file, the team addresses a serious topic. Active aggressor or active shooter situations are becoming more common that we’d like to admit. There are steps you can take to prepare yourself and your organization for this type emergency. We welcome the Eric Culver and Dale Massey, founders of STAT, a company focused on providing active aggressor training. They’ll share advice and insights on preparing for this dangerous situation. Editor’s Note: This file may not be suitable for all audiences, given the subject matter that will be...
info_outlineWorkforce Therapy Files
File 27: In today’s file, the team explores the benefits of vision boards and life boards. They each talk about how they approach these tools in their own lives. This conversation springs from a new experience Jamie is working through that took an unexpected turn, at the outset. The team welcomes their podcast producer, Jim Ray, to participate with them in the discussion. The Executive Coaching Experience Jamie shares that she’s recently begun working with an executive coach at . One way the coach has challenged her is to be more intentional about herself. ...
info_outlineWorkforce Therapy Files
File 26: In today’s file, the team is going to lighten-up the conversation with some funny HR stories they’ve either experienced or heard about. Before we begin, we’d like to encourage you to send us your funny HR stories, via the . We might read them on an upcoming file. Sleeping on the Job Stories Story 1 Molley begins with a personal example from her “first real job.” She wanted to talk with one of the leaders. She knew he was in the office. She knocked on his office door repeatedly. Finally, the door opened. She was shocked. ...
info_outlineWorkforce Therapy Files
File 25: In today’s file, the team wraps up a 2-part discussion on the job market. In this episode, they’ll focus on “lay-ups”. These are the positive ways an organization can assist exiting employees to land on their feet, after a separation. At the same time, this segment will also help area employers to take advantage of the availability of new candidates becoming available, especially if a large layoff has occurred. Click here to listen , Layoffs and Lay-Ups (Part 1). In File 11 (), the team discussed the topic of separating with dignity. This might...
info_outlineWorkforce Therapy Files
File 24: In today’s file, the team begins a 2-part discussion on the job market. In this episode, they’ll focus on layoffs. Several clients have reached out to Jamie and Molley to plan for potential layoffs and the specific steps companies are required to take. In File 11 (), the team discussed the topic of separating with dignity. This might be a good reference point. Legal Considerations Involving a Layoff To begin, it’s important to note none of this should be considered legal advice, as the members of the WTF Podcast team are not lawyers. ...
info_outlineWorkforce Therapy Files
File 23: In today’s file, the team welcomes Summer Dixon Goldman of Dixon Strategies. She offers fractional Chief Operating Officer services for owners, founders and CEOs. Dixon Strategies brings order to chaos. Meet Summer Goldman Summer had a 20-year, corporate career. She has a background in agriculture and lending. The majority of her corporate experience was in leadership roles related to sales and operations teams. She eventually made the decision to start her own company. Summer begins by explaining fractional chief operating officer services...
info_outlineWorkforce Therapy Files
File 22: In today’s file, the team welcomes Amy Rudy, the Founder of Impact Sales Systems, to discuss the challenge of staying relevant in your industry or field and growing your knowledge, skills and abilities. It’s also going to require a level of resilience to remain agile in the future of work. In case you missed them, the previous 2 episodes focused on The Future of Work. Click the below links to listen: · · Meet Amy Rudy Amy is a sales and sales management coach. She works with business...
info_outlineWorkforce Therapy Files
File 21: In today’s file, the team continues the discussion on the future of work, namely the changes to where and how we’ll work, in the not too distant future. Remember, we let AI draft the outline for this file. Jason and Molley haven’t seen the outline. We’ll see where the machine takes us! If you missed Part 1, you can listen to it here: The Gig Economy Is Booming Will this continue to grow? Will contract-work increase? Jason points out that not everyone is wired to be a business owner. It’s a big step and can be more complicated...
info_outlineWorkforce Therapy Files
File 20: In today’s file, the team will discuss the future of work, namely the changes to where and how we’ll work, in the not too distant future. In an effort to lighten up the topic, we let AI draft the outline for this file. Jason and Molley haven’t seen the outline. We’ll see where the machine takes us! Companies Will Adapt to Remote Work to Survive? There’s been a lot of chatter about the return-to-office trend. How will this affect the workforce? Molley suggests that top talent may decide to seek other companies allowing its teams at least...
info_outlineWorkforce Therapy Files
File 19: In today’s file, the entire team is back in the studio. They welcome Wendy Hall to discuss showing you the money. She is an Employee Benefits Advisor for USI Insurance Services. The group discusses the impact of taking an innovative approach to employee benefit programs. There are ways to do this in a very, cost-effective manner. Meet Wendy Hall Wendy has spent many years in focusing in the areas of employee benefits and HR. Her passion is helping employers create a motivated and engaged workforce through effective benefits plan, without breaking...
info_outlineFile 7: In today’s file, the team focuses on you when it comes to getting help with your recruiting and staffing objectives. It can feel overwhelming. It’s often like you’re just climbing uphill without the proper resources.
Jamie begins the discussion by describing why she quit going to conferences, early in her career. The speakers didn’t really seem to understand or remember what it was like at the ground level. So, what’s the answer, how do you seek and ask for help?
Jason approaches this from a marketing perspective. Rather than outsourcing this recruiting element, some companies decide to hire “a marketing person.” Finding an individual who can handle graphic design, website development and management, copywriting, ad builds, interpret analytics and other important activities is usually too much for one person to handle, effectively. Many of these skills are separate and distinct. The same example applies to recruiters and talent acquisition professionals. The scope of the challenge is extremely broad and leadership doesn’t always understand how to properly resource these efforts.
Asking for Help
This is difficult to consider, especially when you think it’s “just not in the budget.” The reality is it’s probably there, but you have to dig to find it. How big of a financial impact does turnover have on the budget? Jamie and Molly comment that senior management may not actually attribute a dollar amount to this, but the real costs are there. Most organizations don’t truly understand how much it costs to hire an individual or group of people.
Waste associated with workforce planning, in general, rarely shows up in the budget. In reality, it may be one of the top expenses to a company, along with the general categories of payroll and benefits. Companies would do well to begin planning for it.
The cost of recruiting and hiring has changed. These expenses should be a dynamic part of the budget. Simply allocating what you’ve done in the past doesn’t actively consider the increases in these activities, or the actions being taken by your competition.
Jason suggests you consider whether or not your company’s budget has a significant allocation for capital expenditures. This may be an area from which to secure investment in your workforce development efforts. There may be some miscellaneous funds that tend to roll over in this ledger, year after year. There are software tools that can help you to better analyze your workforce planning and the cost of these tools may be less than you anticipated. The overall savings would definitely yield a return to the company’s bottom line.
The Cost of a Failed Hire
Molley asks new clients to quantify this number. Unfortunately, many can’t or don’t know where to begin. She goes on to explain in recruiting, there is a turnover number and a churn number. There’s a difference. Churn relates to what happens before the person becomes profitable for the company, in terms of the investment it made in identifying them, recruiting them, hiring them, onboarding them and training them. These expenses are real. If the employee leaves before he/she hits that point at which they can operate more independently (i.e. they’re now profitable), it’s churn. Turnover, by contrast, occurs once the person has become profitable.
You need to have the numbers to make an effective argument to leadership. Having an outside expert come in to work the numbers and to formulate and deliver “the story” is a win-win.
Timing Is Important
For many managers and C-suite leaders, the end of the year is when they really get laser focused on the budget. The time for asking is now. If you miss this opportunity, you may be stuck with that decision for the next 12 months.
Jamie recommends you identify the person who is representing the HR budget at the C-suite, for your division. Share a detailed, line-item version of what your budget should look like. Prepare them with the rationale and the numbers so they can advocate effectively on your behalf.
Jason and Molley discuss how to both build as strategy for the ask, as well as preparing to defend the questions regarding the ask. Be prepared to offer specifics related to the deliverables directly resulting from the company’s investment. It’s always about Return on Investment (ROI).
Know What You Don’t Know
Molley explains this statement. You have to define where the issues are and why they exist. This exercise will help to support your argument for increased funding for recruiting and talent acquisition. Show that the investment will address the issues traditionally leading to the problems. You have to dig into it and determine the root drivers. Doing so will enable to you identify “why” you’re asking. It’s not just a wish-list.
Returning to the core theme of the discussion, you can leverage the tools and expertise of outside resources to help you to build the right strategy. Some of the initiatives can obviously be handled internally. Reach out of help as needed. Find a partner who understands your situation and will provide solutions to specific issues.
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!