Recruiting, Retention, And Reduction In Force Heather Keever

Recruiting Retention And Reduction In Forceheather Keever Sphrdiscl

Recruiting, Retention and Reduction in Force Heather Keever, SPHR Disclaimer • Nothing in this presentation should be relied upon as legal advice. The presenter is not an attorney and the information provided is not legal advice. • The information provided here is generic and may not apply to every situation. • Please refer to applicable laws, statutes and regulations. Employee Recruitment Employer Brand • Your reputation as an employer. Company Culture Employee Benefits Employee Value Proposition Work Environment Recruitment and Selection Strategies Compensation strategy development or changes Improved job advertisements Identification of new recruiting sources Interviewing skills training Job analysis to accurately identify needed knowledge, skills and abilities Job redesign Employee incentives (flexible schedules, bonus opportunities, development opportunities, etc.) Internships Employee referral programs Improved Job Advertisements Explain your organization’s mission and how the position being advertised contributes to that mission. Realistically describe duties. Identify special requirements (travel, working weekends, etc.) Improved Job Advertisements Include information that will entice applicants Continuing education or development opportunities Desirable work location Available perks Flexible scheduling Unique benefits Onsite daycare Employee Incentives Flexible Schedules Bonus Opportunities Development Opportunities “Perks†Unique Recruiting Sources South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce South Carolina Department of Vocational Rehabilitation South Carolina Department of Vocational Rehabilitation South Carolina Commission for the Blind South Carolina Commission for the Blind Military (former military and spouses) Military (former military and spouses) Transitional Programs (Post Release Programs) Transitional Programs (Post Release Programs) High SchoolsHigh Schools Technical SchoolsTechnical Schools Employee Referrals Employee Referrals InternshipsInternships Niche or targeted job boards Niche or targeted job boards Social MediaSocial Media Internships • Recruit early. • Build relationships with colleges and universities. Including technical colleges. • Offer meaningful work assignments. • Assign a mentor. • Communicate - before, during and after the internship. Retaining Employees This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC Desirable v. Undesirable Turnover • Desirable Turnover: When poor or marginal performers leave an organization and can be replaced with strong performers or when new employees are hired who bring new ideas into the organization. • Undesirable Turnover: When high performers leave an organization. Identifying Retention Issues • Employee Satisfaction Surveys • Leave Pattern Analysis • Review of Internal Complaints • Employee Performance Reviews • Stay Interviews • Exit Interviews • Others? Why Do Employees Stay? • Career growth, learning and development. • Exciting and challenging work. • Meaningful work. The opportunity to make a difference or contribution. • Great people. • Being part of a team. • Good boss. • Recognition for job well done. • Fun on the job. • Autonomy. A sense of control over their work. • Flexibility (for example in hours, dress code, etc.). • Fair pay and benefits. • Inspiring leadership. • Pride in the organization and its mission. • Great work environment. • Location. • Job security. • Family-friendly. • Cutting-edge technology. • Communication between employees and senior management. • Clear expectations and goals. Retention Strategies • Effective Supervision • Orientation and Onboarding • Flexible Scheduling • Employee Incentives • Training and Development Effective Supervision An employee’s relationship with their immediate supervisor has a big impact on the decision to stay or leave a job. Supervisory and management training, particularly in topics like communication and effective performance management can improve this relationship and increase employee retention. Orientation • Make it part of the recruitment process. • Link design to culture. • Design a process, not an event. • Make it timely. • Make it fresh in terms of up-to-date content and in line with the promising impression made during the recruitment process. • Design something memorable. • Create a good first impression. • Get executives, human resources personnel, and managers involved. • Design to be inclusive. • Use a blended approach. Onboarding Onboarding is the process of integrating employees into their new work environment. It is the last stage of the recruitment process and the first step toward retention. Onboarding focuses on the following: • a strong employer welcome; • affirmation of the employee’s right choice in a job; • affirmation that the employee fits into the organization; and • long-term relationship building. Stages of Onboarding • First Day on the Job: The goal is to make a good first impression by focusing on welcoming the employee to the organization. This includes orientation. • First and Second Week on the Job: The goal is to ensure the employee understands the mission of the agency, the responsibilities of the job and management’s expectations as well as to assist the employee’s integration into the organization. • Within First 30 days on the Job: The goal is to review the expectations of the organization and the employee, to discuss progress made, and to continue efforts toward integration into the organization. • Within First 90 days of the Job: The goal is to provide guidance and feedback to the employee to ensure continued success and to make plans for his or her future with the organization. Flexible Scheduling Flexible work schedules are an alternative to the standard schedule. Employees are provided with work schedule options designed to provide flexibility to employees while still achieving the mission of the agency. • Flextime • Compressed work week • Benefits of Flexible Work Schedules Employee Incentives • Pay for Performance Plans • Defined Career Paths • Bonuses • Reward and Recognition Programs (including non-monetary rewards) Training and Development • Access to in-house training • Company-paid certifications • Mentorships • Stretch assignments • Cross-training • Formalized career planning Who should be responsible for employee retention? HR’s Role in Employee Retention While direct supervisors and managers are primarily responsible for addressing employee retention issues, human resources personnel provide vital support to managers in addressing these issues. • Listed below are some of the ways human resources personnel can support employee retention efforts: • Provide analysis of agency turnover data to identify areas of concern. • Identify issues likely to affect employee retention now and in the future. • Assist managers in designing stay and exit interviews. • Assist in the creation of action plans to address identified retention issues. • Assist in the implementation of various retention strategies to ensure compliance with applicable state and federal laws and regulations. • Design effective orientation and onboarding processes for the organization, • Act as an employee retention champion to encourage all levels of leadership to take action concerning employee retention. Reduction in Force RIF v. Layoff Reduction in Force: A position is eliminated and there is no expectation the position will be re-established or that the employee will be rehired. Lay Off: An employee is temporally removed from service (may not be formally terminated) with the expectation that they will be called back to work at some point in the future. RIF Reasons Reorganization Outsourcing Loss of Revenue Process Change Location Closure RIF When is a RIF not appropriate? • To terminate a particular employee for performance or behavioral problems. • When the position will be filled immediately. • Based on any protected characteristic. RIF Steps Select employees to be terminated Avoid adverse or disparate impact Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) Older Workers Benefit Protection Act (OWBPA) Severance Packages (if applicable) Additional Services Notify affected employees of termination Notify the broader organization of the reduction in force Source: Society for Human Resources Management Select Employees • Not based on a protected characteristic (race, sex, national origin, age, etc.) • Selection criteria may be: • Seniority • Performance • Job Knowledge or Skills Select Employees Method Pros Cons Seniority • Easy to implement. • Easy to defend. • You may be eliminating top performers. • You may terminate employees with needed skills. Performance • Able to retain your best performers. • Dependent on robust and reliable employee evaluation procedures. • Harder to explain and defend. Job Knowledge or Skills • Able to retain necessary job knowledge or skills. • Dependent on ability to accurately determine skills available and needed. • Harder to explain and defend. Avoid Disparate Impact Evaluate employees being terminated to determine if members of a protected class are disproportionately represented in the employees being terminated. If a disparate impact is identified the process used should be evaluated and explained. WARN and OWBPA • Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act • Notice is, generally, required for large scale reductions in force. • • Older Workers Benefit Protection Act (OWBPA) • Releases from age discrimination require specific provisions. • Severance Packages • Employees receive consideration (generally a payment) in return for waiving certain rights. • Generally this includes action under Title VII, ADA, ADEA, SC Discrimination Laws, etc. • Should be created/reviewed by an attorney. Conduct the Layoff Session • Gather all information prior to meeting with the employee. • During the meeting: • Explain why the layoff is occurring. • Explain the affect on benefits (including 401(k) or pensions) • Provide required notices (including COBRA) • Provide information on outplacement services (if available) • Provide information on unemployment insurance Communicate • After those impacted have been notified, communicate the information to the rest of the staff. • Be supportive as many will be concerned about future layoffs and may suffer from survivors syndrome. • Ask for support from your EAP, if available. Additional Notes • Be sure people are provided legally-required notice of their termination (generally at least one week). • You may consider paying out someone’s notice so they do not have to return to work after being informed of their termination. • Consider working with the Department of Employment and Workforce to arrange for them to be on-site to process unemployment claims. • Consider impacts to security (both physical and technological). • TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.

Paper For Above instruction

The processes of recruiting, retaining, and managing reduction in force are fundamental components of strategic human resource management that significantly impact organizational effectiveness and workforce stability. This comprehensive discussion explores these interconnected elements, emphasizing best practices and legal considerations vital for HR practitioners and organizational leaders aiming to optimize their human capital management efforts.

Recruiting: Building a Robust Workforce Foundation

Effective recruitment strategies are essential for attracting high-quality candidates who align with organizational goals and culture. Developing a strong employer brand—marked by a positive reputation, appealing company culture, and compelling employee value proposition—serves as a cornerstone in the competitive talent marketplace (Berthon, Ewing, & Hah, 2005). Transparent and enticing job advertisements that clearly articulate the organization’s mission, the contributions of the role, and unique benefits such as flexible schedules, onsite amenities, and development opportunities heighten applicant interest (Breaugh, 2008).

Broadening recruiting channels enhances talent acquisition. These sources include government agencies such as the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce, vocational rehabilitation centers, military transitional programs, high schools, technical schools, local job boards, and social media platforms (Breaugh, 2008; Cable & Turban, 2001). Early recruitment efforts, especially building relationships with educational institutions and offering internships, foster a pipeline of potential future employees and contribute to employer branding (Liu, 2012).

Retention: Keeping Valuable Talent Engaged

Retention is often more cost-effective than recruitment, emphasizing the importance of strategies that foster employee satisfaction and loyalty. Key factors influencing employee retention include career development, meaningful work, positive relationships with supervisors, recognition, and a supportive work environment (Hausknecht, Rodda, & Howard, 2009). Organizations must identify retention challenges through employee satisfaction surveys, exit interviews, leave pattern analysis, and stay interviews (Holtom, Mitchell, Lee, & Eberts, 2005).

Employees stay when they perceive opportunities for growth, work that challenges and excites them, and recognition for their contributions. Creating a motivating environment involves implementing effective supervision—training managers in communication and performance management—along with comprehensive onboarding and onboarding (Bauer, 2010). Orientation and onboarding should be viewed as ongoing processes designed to integrate new hires fully, thus increasing engagement and reducing early turnover (Klein, Polin, & Sutton, 2015).

Additionally, flexible scheduling options, such as flextime or compressed workweeks, address diverse employee needs, fostering work-life balance and increasing retention (Kossek, 2006). Employee incentives, including performance-based pay, bonuses, and recognition initiatives—both monetary and non-monetary—further promote loyalty and motivation (Frey, 2002). Continuous learning opportunities like in-house training, certifications, mentorships, and cross-training support employee development, aligning individual aspirations with organizational needs (Noe, 2017).

Human Resources and Supervisory Roles

While supervisors directly influence employee satisfaction through daily interactions, HR’s role is pivotal in developing policies, analyzing retention data, and supporting managers with tools like exit and stay interviews. HR professionals assist in designing effective orientation and onboarding programs, ensuring legal compliance, and championing retention initiatives at all organizational levels (Huselid, 1995). This collaborative approach enhances organizational culture and workforce stability.

Reduction in Force (RIF): Navigating Workforce Downsizing

For organizations facing structural changes, RIF involves eliminating positions with no current plans for re-establishment. A RIF differs from layoffs, which are temporary and often with the expectation of rehiring. Initiating a RIF must be grounded in legal compliance, fairness, and strategic reasoning to avoid adverse impact, especially concerning protected classes under laws such as Title VII and ADEA (Society for Human Resource Management [SHRM], 2020).

Decisions on whom to terminate are typically based on criteria like seniority, performance, or job knowledge. Evaluating these against legal frameworks like the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act and the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act (OWBPA) is crucial to ensure lawful implementation (Budd & Bhave, 2008). Conducting severance negotiations, providing appropriate notices, and supporting affected employees through transition services are essential components of ethically and legally managing RIFs (Festing & Wittmann, 2011).

Effective communication post-RIF is vital; transparency reduces uncertainty and preserves organizational morale. During employee terminations, managers should explain the reasons clearly, discuss benefits implications, and provide outplacement or unemployment resources (Cascio & Boudreau, 2016). Supporting remaining staff also mitigates survivor syndrome, maintaining productivity and morale (Sverke, Hellgren, & Näswall, 2002).

Legal and Ethical Considerations in Workforce Management

Throughout recruitment, retention, and reduction procedures, adherence to legal standards is mandatory. Ensuring non-discriminatory practices during selection, transparent communication, and equitable treatment aligns with employment law and ethical standards (Cascio & Boudreau, 2016). Legal compliance minimizes risk and fosters a fair, inclusive organizational culture.

Conclusion

The interconnected processes of recruiting, retaining, and managing workforce reductions are central to organizational resilience and success. By strategically developing employer branding, fostering employee engagement, and executing lawful downsizing procedures, organizations can sustain a motivated, skilled, and stable workforce capable of navigating economic and structural challenges.

References

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