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RECRUIT, INSPIRE & RETAIN
Fall 1999
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OLDER WORKERS PROVIDE EXPERIENCED RESOURCES FOR HARD-TO-FILL JOBS!
The National Council on the Aging (NCOA) conducted a study of 240 U.S.
employers which showed that employers value older workers as being reliable,
flexible, competent and healthy. The study also stated that employers do not
know where and how to find older workers and are unsure that their skills
are up-to-date. The study further showed that employers are not skilled in
managing the issues of an aging workforce, although their numbers are
expected to increase over the next decade.
Benefits of Hiring Older Workers
*97% of respondents said that older workers are reliable and thorough in
completing their work. 88% said they have a low turnover rate, are not rigid
or unwilling to change (85%), and are interested in learning new tasks
(81%).
*Employers in the survey highlighted several barriers to hiring older
workers. 61% said finding them was the primary barrier. Concerns about
training older workers once they were hired was stated by 43% of
respondents.
Next Steps in Hiring Older Workers
*Although 48% of survey respondents anticipate an increase in the number of
older workers, only 11% of employers’ companies had any type of plan for the
future use of older workers. Older workers are a rich resource of
experience, technical knowledge, expertise and reliability whose
contribution is important to employers seeking to fill positions and to the
overall economic health and well-being of the U.S.
How would these workers contribute to your organization’s bottom-line?
The NCOA study was conducted by the Gerontology Program and the Regional
Economic Studies Institute at Towson University (MD) and funded by
McDonald’s Corporation and the U.S. Department of Labor. For more
information on the study, visit the NCOA website: www.ncoa.org.
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WHO’S WEARING FUN METERS?
*Hotel guest finds Fun Meter under bed (what on earth were they looking
for???)!
*Savvy garage sale shopper buys Fun Meter for 5 cents!
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HOW TRAINING SYSTEMS, INC. WORKS WITH ASSOCIATES
TRAINING SYSTEMS, INC. Associates are the cream of the crop! We discover
Associates from a variety of sources: we meet them in training association
memberships and conferences, and freelancers who contact us. They have a
wide range of backgrounds, which helps them serve Training Systems’ diverse
clients. We select Associates on the basis of several important qualities:
*Desire to be a partner in Training Systems
*Belief in interactive learning methods and match with Training Systems’
philosophy
*Outstanding facilitation, consultation and/or design skills
*Creativity, flexibility, ability to follow-through
*Ability to make learning FUN and have fun
Associates are assessed in a 4-Stage Process:
Stage 1: Initial interview
Stage 2: Sample design, video facilitation, or sample consulting project
Stages 3&4: Review and discussion of their work samples
Associates participate in two special Training Systems events during the
year. Each is designed to provide professional development, input into the
planning process, idea generation, interaction with other Training Systems
Associates and Vendors, and have FUN:
*Facilitators’ and Designers’ Day (professional development)
*Summer Event, which includes their families (carnival, bike ride, scavenger
hunt, etc.)
*Winter Planning Meeting (planning for coming year)
*Cocktail Party, which includes their spouse/friends (dinner and
conversation)
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SPOTLIGHT ON TRAINING SYSTEMS, INC. ASSOCIATES
Julius Rhodes is an experienced facilitator and HR Consultant. He’s also the
president of the MPR Group. Julius specializes in human resources, project
management, team work, customer service, and training and development. He’s
an incredibly dynamic, engaging facilitator in classroom and one-on-one
training. Enjoyment and laughter create retention and he creates plenty of
it. Julius has more than fifteen years of progressive and diverse Human
Resources experience, and has been involved in Human Resources related
activities in manufacturing, health care, consumer products and electronics,
financial services, information technology, educational institutions, and in
the cultural arts for public and private firms in profit and not-for-profit
sectors. In addition, he is a frequent instructor in undergraduate and
graduate programs. He obtained his Bachelors Degree in Human Resources from
Roosevelt University and his Graduate Degree from Loyola University’s
Institute of Human Resources and Industrial Relations. In 1992, Julius
completed a certified arbitrator training program through Cornell University
and the New York State Employment Relations Board and in 1994 he received
his designation as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR).
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TOOL BOX: RESOURCES TO HELP YOU RECRUIT, INSPIRE & RETAIN EMPLOYEES
*Get multiple copies of Running & FitNews to help your employees or clients
learn the latest facts on fitness. From the American Running and Fitness
Association 800-776-ARFA or www.arfa.org.
*Creative Solutions for Overcoming Barriers to Employment by Debra L. Angel
and Elisabeth E. Harney. This book gives specific solutions to help you and
your candidates face and overcome common barriers to employment. Helps you
learn proven strategies and offers an encyclopedia of sample solutions.
Named one of the “Top Ten Career Books of the Year” by Joyce Lain Kennedy of
the Los Angeles Times. Call NAWDP at 202-887-6120 to order.
*Retain the best employees by offering them a reason to stay: a piece of the
company’s financial pie. For a primer on starting a profit-sharing plan,
check out this website: www.psca.org.
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GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR TECHNOLOGY: BE SURE EMPLOYEES CAN USE IT!
What would you do if you had invested substantial sums of money in computer
equipment and software for your employees, then you discovered that they
didn’t know how to use them properly? Or weren’t using them at all? Many
employees in the computer age have inadequate typing skills and computer
software knowledge, and are continuing to hand write letters, notes, and
reports or simply take more time to navigate the software waters than they
should. These and other factors decrease not only their productivity but
also that of their co-workers by limiting access to and timeliness of shared
work products and processes. Even when you offer training, either in-house
or through vendors, not everyone who needs to attend does or not everyone
learns and applies what they need to know. A lot of $ spent with very little
return.
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SUCCESS STORY
Michael J. Noonan, of Michael J. Noonan Accounting, found that as a small
business owner, hiring Training Systems to develop and implement a
Recruitment Plan for hiring new employees freed his time to focus on serving
his clients and billing for his time rather than spending it on hiring. His
new employee is now on board!
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ANSWER FROM LAST ISSUE
Question: What are you doing this summer to boost teamwork?
Answer: After a management assessment, Tim Schalke of ING Barings, Chicago,
gave employees special T-shirts proclaiming, “I survived the ING Management
Assessment Process!” Employees are wearing them proudly!
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IDEAS TO INSPIRE
Keeping Star Employees!
Most Effective Methods:
*New hire orientation
*Open communication policy
*Starting salary + salary increases
*401(k) or 403(b)
*Health care
*Reimbursement for training & relocation
*On-site parking
Barriers to Employee Retention:
*Higher salaries/better benefits from competitors
*Dissatisfaction with career development
*Conflicts with supervisors or co-workers
*Not being appreciated
*Unnecessarily difficult or unsatisfying jobs
*Lack of job security
*Conflict with organization’s values/mission
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POP QUIZ
Question: How many books has Training Systems written and published?
Answer: 1! Our very 1st! Entitled: Creating Highly Interactive Training
Quickly & Effectively. Call 815-469-1162 for more info.
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