The Bagg Group Blog

“My employer just doesn’t get me.” Sounds more like something one says about a mate rather than a company. But hiring authorities may be taken aback to learn that this is a frequent lament that we hear from many of our A-calibre candidates. And it’s a woe that is echoed across Canada and elsewhere, according to studies.

When you consider, as we do, that employees and employers are in a relationship together, it’s not surprising. In every good relationship, people need to talk and to help each other move successfully into the future. When that doesn’t happen, there are inevitably feelings of resentment and in the case of the employee, a desire for divorce from the company.

Too often, employers are missing an opportunity to talk and listen to employee’s long-term aspirations. In a poll of 3,401 employees across Canada, only 6% said their direct boss, or employer, works with them on managing their career path.

Another 12% said they turn to family and friends for guidance. But 82% said they feel as if they’re on own their own when it comes to figuring out their professional advancement, according to a recent report in the Globe and Mail.

In the US, the situation is similar. The Society for Human Resource Management took a poll of 800 HR professionals, managers, and executives and discovered that 35% want to leave their employers because they are dissatisfied by the lack of career planning.

There’s no need for a good relationship to end this way. Here are three tips from the staffing solution experts at The Bagg Group that are used by top employers in the GTA to retain talent:

1. When interviewing candidates, hiring authorities are advised to discuss their company’s approach to career advancement. It’s a good idea to outline typical promotion patterns. People are eager for a sense of what the road ahead may look like for them.

But a word of caution: Don’t over-promise to win over a great candidate. The consensus among recruitment companies is that if you fail to manage expectations, you could be on the divorce track with your employee.

2. Review career plans regularly with your staff. Employees welcome the chance to talk over ways they might strengthen their competencies to prepare for eventual advancement.

3. Think beyond the department. Many core skills are transferable and the challenge of working in a new department and learning a new function can re-energize a valuable employee.

The top employers in the GTA allow and encourage their best talent to move between departments. Interestingly, a recent survey within the British accounting and finance industry showed that 83% of respondents feel that non-finance related experience is key to becoming a senior executive or CEO.

At The Bagg Group, we talk to our clients about their staffing issues today, and tomorrow. And in that conversation, we remind them that at some point, a valued employee, in whom you’ve invested training and knowledge, will look around the office and wonder, “What’s next for me?” That’s a fair question, and it’s one that committed relationships are founded on.

There’s a lingering misconception that finding top talent in a recession is as easy as fishing in a barrel. Yet, that was disproved in the 90s recession when employers found that they were overwhelmed with resumes, but very few applicants met their criteria.

At The Bagg Group, we receive hundreds of resumes for every available position. Typically, only three out of 100 responses are potentially suitable for the job opportunity. Our recruiters meet face-to-face with every prospective candidate. And on average, we recommend less than 30% of all those we interview to our clients.

Quantity is not the issue, quality is. When it comes to staffing in times of economic turmoil, there are two golden rules. These practices will carry you through this recession, as they’ve carried top employers through past ones.

Why invest now in top talent? A-level people are more than high producers. They’re innovative thinkers who can problem-solve with you.

And companies which involve employees in finding ways to operate more cost-effectively report excellent results, according to surveys of The Great Place To Work Institute Inc., a global research agency.

These are qualities that can’t be bought, so they won’t eat in to your budget. And you can measure your return on effort in increased loyalty and productivity.

Here are some suggestions that top employers in the GTA have implemented, with great success.

Help employees decompress: Recognize that today’s overburdened employees need ways to de-stress. It’s money well spent  to subsidize gym memberships. And bringing a massage therapist on-site for 15-minute treatments can help employees get the knots out of their neck and out of their thinking.

Holding regular trivia and other types of contests and celebrations builds camaraderie in tough times, and injects some levity into the workplace.

A time-out for fun is proven to reduce stress hormones and increase a sense of wellbeing, which in turns sharpens creative thinking and increases productivity.

(For why and how some companies are bringing humour into the workplace, see the article Making Work Fun by Paul E. McGhee, Ph.D.)

Even small gestures can make a difference. Human resource professionals at one company reported that employees were delighted when the company replaced regular coffee with top premium blends.

Consider creative perks: Post-cuts, many employees are doing the job of two, and could use a perk or two to stay motivated. They know best what could make a difference to their worklife. Ask and you may be surprised by the answers.

More and more, over-stretched employees are putting in requests for a temporary or contract worker who can take some tasks off their overloaded plates. At The Bagg Group, we are regularly fulfilling demands from all sizes of corporations for efficient, knowledgeable temps who can step in and take over time-consuming activities to allow full-time staff to focus on their primary work.

Talk about the elephant in the room: Open, transparent communications between executives and employees is key for building trust and collaboration.

During this recession, many executives hold relaxed, regular get-togethers with employees to report candidly on progress and challenges, and address questions and anxieties. The result is a company-wide appreciation that everyone is in this together. And that fuels the motivation to work on solutions.

Nothing attracts and retains top talent more than company leadership which actively demonstrates that its people are its best asset. And that’s a fact that hasn’t changed with the times.