Build A Better Box

There's a dangerous game being played out there.  And the stakes are high.

Specifically, it's a game between the world of staffing and their potential new recruits.  Nobody is asking enough questions, from the prospective employee - who's afraid of blowing a chance at a job - to the employer, who's afraid of scaring off a good candidate.  Too often, there is a misalignment between a new recruit and employer, but it's not discovered  - or addressed - until it's too late. 

Consider the employee who is on the job for six months, has undergone the start of an expensive training process, and has begun the mutual integration of his or her own life with that of the company, only to realize that he/she hates the job, hates the processes and procedures, and perhaps even hates the core values and mission of the company.  What's left?  Quit, or get fired ("de-hired" in common politically correct speak.)  Either way, nobody wins this game.

It used to be that a person would put on the proverbial suit and tie - dress for success - when job seeking.  The potential employer usually had the upper hand.  They had several good, qualified candidates from which to select.  Labor was plentiful.  Now, the tables are turned a bit: it's the company who must also don the shirt and tie.  Although the national unemployment rate is certainly not non-existent, simply "getting a job" is no longer the overwhelmingly strong factor it once was for someone to commit to a new employer.  Skilled labor in many areas is harder to come across, and an employee with real skill and talent wants to know there's more to their compensation than just a paycheck.  They want to know that their own personal values and vision are congruent with  those of their employer; that their work is being respected; that they will advance and grow and receive professional development. 

One of our large corporate clients addressed many of these issues by working with us to create a recent groundbreaking communications piece.  Part "Scared Straight", part "What to Expect When You're Expecting", and part positive-spin marketing, the video demonstrated some typical on-the-job scenarios, depicted through a combination of realistic re-enactments and actual employee dialog through engaging interviews.  The logic behind this bold tactic was that potential new employees would get a sneak preview of things to come before they accepted the position.  The employer would realize tremendous savings in quarterly training and development, and potential employees would avoid being engaged in a job with which they'd not be comfortable.  It's a win-win, and good karma would abound.

For the most part, today's new generation of recruits is much more aggressive - and fickle.  And they are starting to ask more questions and make more careful evaluations of prospective employers.  In times past, once retained, employees might stay loyal to the company for as long as the company would have them.  But now, it's not uncommon for younger employees to voluntarily switch jobs several times more often than their previous-generation counterparts.  They are more interested in exploring their options and playing the field than before.  To be a "job seeker" in the past usually meant to be unemployed.  But now, even the gainfully employed may well be looking for something better in their mind.  It's not just enough to earn the signing on of a new employee; an employer must work hard to earn their staying on, as well.  For sure, businesses must be aware of the more fragile nature of the employee-employer culture of today. 

Just like "Til death do us part" has become a bit of an antiquated notion (witness the 50% or so divorce rate), so, too, is the tenuous state of recruitment and retention.  Have "company careers" gone by the same wayside, right along with multi-album record label deals, like so many bands had in the '70s and '80s?  Are companies looking for "hit singles" in their employees, rather than developing them into feature-length careerists?  And how do companies stand out amongst each other while competing for the same resources?  Are they addressing the modern core values of today's influx of new recruits?  In the end, it's the company that's willing to listen and align with this special audience - their talent pool - that ultimately will be the victor.