Recruit, Retain, Retrain and Pray, Pray, Pray

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Recruit, Retain, Retrainand Pray, Pray, Pray

• Ann F. Harbor
• The University of Memphis
• EDUCAUSE Southeast Regional Conference
• June 28, 2001

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Agenda

• IT Employment Realities
• Recruitment Strategies
• Retention Strategies
• Retraining Necessities
• Needed Next Steps
• What Works For You?

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IT Employment Realities (Its a Sellers
Market)

• 800,000 Unfilled IT Positions
• Recruiting contacts
• Deep techies hardest to fill
• Turn-over costs
• Need for unique competencies
• Misalignment with HR business processes and
  structures

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Employee Lifecycle

• 1 Company
• 30 Years
• 1-3 Positions
• Low Risk
• Low Payoff

• 4-6 Companies
• 4-5 Years on Staff
• Multiple Positions
• Some Risk
• Increased Payoff

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Recruitment(Find Em, Get Em)

• Ad placement (where to advertise)
• Ad style (content and look)
• Job descriptions/minimum quals
• Local/regional layoffs, relocations
• Consider apprentices
• Call former employees

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Find Em/Get Em (contd)

• Direct contact minority businesses schools
• Word of mouth and staff referrals
• Search Firms
• Help from Advancement
• Participate in National IT Day or
• Student Recruitment Fairs

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Find Em/Get Em (contd)

• Emphasize competitive differentiation
• Benefits package
• University culture, relaxed work environment
• Cool projects
• Cool equipment
• Training opportunities
• Quality of life at work
• Tuition remission
• Every days Casual Day
• Recruit all year long!

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Selection(Screen Em)

• Dont rush the process
• Interview in teams
• Include IT client officers
• Tell the truth

• Ask probing questions about
• Technical skill sets
• Soft skill sets
• Career ambitions
• Attitude
• Make reference checks
• Select best matched

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Retention (Keep Em)

• Orient thoroughly
• Mentor
• Pay for performance value
• Create more of a Dot.Com culture
• Live your values lead with distinction
• Invest heavily in people
• Recognize lifecycles

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Employee Lifecycle Stages(people³ - A Gartner
Company)
High
Providing
Diminishing
Applying
Learning
Low
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Retention (Keep Em)

• Expect and support teamwork
• Be inclusive with decision-making processes
• Have meaning project and Provide meaningful
  reviews (performance management system)
• Practice L.O. principles
• Provide flexibility
• Recognize and Reward Excellence

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Development(Retrain Em)

• Invest in education
• Technical Skills J.I.T.
• People Skills OO
• Leadership Skills
• Organizational expectations
• Train for needs as well as desires
• Job Share
• Tell your story

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UofM Exit Interview Findings

• Satisfiers
• Safe adequate work space
• Fair impartial treatment
• Supportive management
• Prof. development opportunities
• Collegial coworkers
• Participative planning process
• Fair meaning evaluations
• Dissatisfiers
• Communication (top down)
• Equitable compensation
• Opportunity for advancement

• Employment
• 47 1-3 years
• 23 3-5 years
• 15 5-15 years
• 15 over 15 years
• Reasons for Leaving
• 68 Higher pay/career growth
• 11 Return to school
• 11 Moved from area
• 5 Retirement
• 5 Other

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What Next? What More?

• Continue to leverage scarce resources
• Pay competitively
• Continue working with HR on
• Shorter cycle time for hiring process
• Process redesigns for better fit
• Out of cycle increases
• In-position promotions
• Retention bonuses
• Sign on bonuses

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Pray, Pray, Pray

• Now I lay me down to sleep,
• I pray our employees we will keep.
• If they should go before its time,
• May we find others--without spending a dime!

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Discussion
What Are You Doing?