Finding and retaining the right talent has always been difficult. Gen Y has additional demands on the workplace, which today's employers may not be aware of. The situation in Singapore for many business owners seems to be especially difficult, as talent is scarce, people seem to be constantly demanding, and it becomes more and more difficult to obtain foreign talent.
This presentation discusses some of the possible strategies and provides a few tips for SME's and Business Owners to hire and retain the talent they are looking for.
In 1997, a groundbreaking McKinsey study exposed the "war for talent" as a strategic business challenge and a critical driver of corporate performance.
Your organisation can create a new product and it is easily copied. Lower your prices and competitors will follow. Go after a lucrative market and someone is there right after you, careful to avoid making your initial mistakes
.But replicating a high-quality, highly engaged workforce is nearly impossible. The ability to effectively hire, retain, deploy, and engage talent—at all levels—is really the only true competitive advantage an organisation possesses.
jobsDB’s Market Outlook Survey has found that 85% (15% unemployed, 35% active, 50% passive) of respondents are looking to explore new roles in 2014, and 41% anticipate that there will be more jobs available as compared to 2013.
The job seekers are right - 19% of employers said they expect to recruit staff; 67% said they will maintain staffing levels, while only 3% said they would trim staff. This yields a net employment growth outlook in Singapore of 16%*.
Thamsanqa Jantjie was the appointed sign interpreter during the Nelson Mandela memorial. His sign language was ‘fake’, deaf people couldn’t understand what he was signing.
He was later admitted to a psychiatric hospital for treatment.
He claimed that he had a schizophrenic episode and saw angels descending during the memorial.
His appointment for check-up was on 10th Dec, but was shifted after he was offered the job to sign during the memorial. He apparently had a history of mental problems and violent episodes.
The South African government has admitted a mistake was made and Jantjie was not suitably qualified for the memorial service
The career builder interview 2,700 employers in 2011 to find out the cost of hiring the wrong person.
FCF will come in effect August 2014
Firms making new EP applications2 must advertise the job vacancy on a new jobs bank administered by the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA)3. The advertisement must be open to Singaporeans, comply with the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices4, and run for at least 14 calendar days.
Small firms with 25 or less employees, and those jobs paying more than 12k are exempted from this advertisement requirement.
Jason Marine has on their website a full page about their corporate philosophy: Vision / Mission / Our Goals / Our Values
Their mission statement: To Delight Customers and Develop People). They say: Character is the fundamental basis of being a competent and committed staff of the Jason Group. We believe if a person has the right attitude, he or she can be nurtured to be a competent team member.
Study by Temasek Poly: Top 3 Factors to motivate Gen Y to stay in Organizations:
Opportunity for career advancement (63%) ( 43% most utilised by organisations)
Good work-life harmony (41%) ( not in list of most utilised by org.)
Good relationships (40%) ( money in place 3, 24%)
Again: Study by Temasek Poly shows that 63% of all Gen Y employees care most about career advancement (more important than money, title, or even work-life balance)
You want to be an “Employer of Choice”, a company people would want to work for
Include responsibilities, experience and key attributes. Be as precise as possible what you expect from the person
Make sure you point out the opportunities for making a real impact on your business within your job advertisement
Team player vs individual sharp shooters / go-getters
Invite candidates to interview sooner rather than later to ensure you don’t lose good applicants to other companies. Don’t wait for talent
Use phone interviews, online skills testing or video interviews to save time and money during the initial selection process
Plan the interview with things you want to find out and include a mixture of question types
Invite key applicants to your office for a second interview and test the candidate’s attitude, skills and knowledge
If you’re not excited at the prospect of a candidate joining, don’t make the job