By Shera Dalin
The roundtable includes:
Kevin Nussbaum,
president, CBIZ Human Capital Services
Mark Grieman,
vice president, Right Management
Christina Hayes,
industrial division director, Professional Employment Group
Tisha Mason,
area manager, Manpower Professional
Warren Winer,
principal, Towers Perrin
With a predicted nationwide labor shortage and more emphasis than ever on recruiting and retaining excellent employees, we spoke with area human resources leaders about how to meet the challenges ahead.
Overall, those interviewed have an optimistic view of the recruiting and retention of talent in the St. Louis metro area. They praised efforts by civic, business and governmental leaders to make the region an attractive place for recent graduates to launch their careers and for experienced workers to remain because of companies’ increasing focus on top-notch
benefits and the amenities of life in St. Louis. They also offered some tips for hiring and keeping the best and brightest in the fold.
How does
St. Louis rank in terms of recruiting excellent
talent?
Hayes: Recruiting in St. Louis is very competitive. There is a great workforce in this city. As one would expect, the most desirable candidates are recruited heavily.
Grieman: We do well in recruiting talent from the Midwest, but not as well on the East and West coasts. We are a flyover city, but once we get people to visit, they love it.
What attracts talent to
the region?
Grieman: Certainly quality of life and the cost of living. Four seasons doesn’t hurt either. Despite people complaining about Highway 40, this town is easy to get around in. There are great restaurants, arts, the Zoo, the Botanical Garden, symphony, healthcare systems and universities. People who grew up here don’t understand what a gem of a city we have.
Nussbaum: The biotech and other areas where we’ve invested money to expand, such as incubators. It’s also the feel of the city and the Midwest, which is like a big town with fair housing prices.
Mason: St. Louis is home to some major, worldwide corporations such as Anheuser-Busch, Edward Jones, Monsanto and MasterCard. Career opportunities abound.
St. Louis also offers a mix of city and suburban life, all within minutes. We are also home to great parks and museum systems.
Hayes: St. Louis has the benefit of being home to some of the country’s most respected companies. Couple that with great population diversity, culture, strong ethics and, last but not least, being one of the best sports cities in the world—St. Louis does pretty well in terms of recruiting great people.
What is St. Louis doing to attract skilled, professional employees?
Mason: Rebuilding Highway 40, expansion of MetroLink and the various projects to revitalize downtown are ways
St. Louis is beginning to try to attract employees.
Hayes: There is a strong urban revitalization effort that is attracting people downtown, as well as beautiful suburban areas that are attracting families.
St. Louis also has a stunning contingent of some of the country’s top educational institutions.
Grieman: The Highway 40 closure is going to be really good for this region from a business standpoint, because it’s going to force companies that haven’t moved as quickly as the ones on the coasts to move toward flex time, alternative schedules and accountability for results, rather than (employees) just being there. That really counts with
Gen Y and Gen X. They aren’t going to be able to tell people to come back and sit at their desks from 9 to 5. Either
St. Louis gets that and we compete, or they don’t get it and we don’t compete.
Winer: What attracts people is the offer they get: base pay and healthcare benefits. Those are the top two. There is some interest in retirement benefits. Then what we are seeing emerge on a national basis are some interesting trends. Flexible schedules are at the top of the list. Having reasonable vacation and time-off policies that are competitive, and then just the sense of the culture—“Does the company really care about me?” One other trend we see over the last decade is people wanting challenging work where they are learning or the potential to move up.
What methods are helpful in recruiting or keeping Generation Y, Generation X and Baby Boomers?
Mason: Contractual work is often a good fit for new graduates and employers. It is a way for a candidate to get a foot in the door and a way for a company to bring in entry-level employees at little risk to themselves. Also, utilizing a variety of networking groups, as well as the online recruiting tools, are excellent ways of finding new candidates.
Nussbaum: To recruit the Gen Y worker, which is just now hitting the workforce, you’ve got to go on campus, through Facebook, and use e-mail. They’d much rather get a text message, than a cell phone call. Everybody knows that with the Gen Xers, it’s all about the work-life balance and working a 40-hour week. The Gen Y crowd will work 60 hours a week, as long as they have a lot of technology.
Winer: We find that folks in the (Baby Boomer) category are looking for more job flexibility, such as part-time work, rather than retiring at 60 or 70, something that will allow them to enjoy retirement more or time with the grandkids.
Hayes: The right message is important. Tuning into what your candidate pool is interested in, or deems valuable in their career, is critical. Things such as commute time may be very important to one candidate, while potential for advancement might be the most important to another candidate. The right message has to be crafted, and then the recruiter’s challenge is to find the right instrument to broadcast that message.
Grieman: From a near-graduate standpoint, I don’t think anything is better than an internship; start offering an internship as soon as you identify talent at a university or college. If you can pair them up with a mentor or two, not just for work, but to help make introductions to our city, they will have more fulfilling aspects to their lives. For Gen Y, technology has to be a component; interesting, challenging work; work-life balance; meaningful social contributions; flexibility in the workplace; and opportunities to lead faster than previous generations. They may not be ready to lead a business unit or a department, but maybe you can place them on teams or projects, and they can demonstrate what they have, and you can identify gaps that they have. Gen X and Gen Yers want to be able to walk into senior leadership’s offices and be able to talk about their ideas.
What trends do you see developing?
Nussbaum: With this Highway 40 shutdown, more people are working from home. It’s a big problem for companies’ mind-set here. They aren’t comfortable with it. But once people see that the productivity can actually increase, they will adopt those policies. Flexible work schedules are a must-have for Gen X.
Hayes: Companies are working hard to create a stronger employment brand. They are using online tools and tactics to create a desirable image and good candidate and employee experience, hoping that the efforts will result in great candidates seeking the company out.
Mason: I have noticed more flexibility and outside-the-box thinking in what employers are looking for in a candidate. I think more on-the-job training is being utilized. Employers are more likely to bring in a competent person and allow for some necessary training.
Grieman: One trend is an increased use of
personal and social networking, and alumni. Organizations that foster alumni relationships can do really well. We will have to get close to recruits in the ways they best receive information. Also, building equity for the employee really helps, or the opportunity to earn it. Getting paid for results is helpful. It could be a small options grant, restricted stock or an ESOP. Ask yourself how can you build equity into it? But ultimately we are talking about people, and we still have to build trust.
Winer: The global view of manpower is part of this. Hiring people in China isn’t entirely a joke. Nursing for example is one of the most understaffed professions. Employers are asking, “What am I going to do in 10 years when I can’t even fill the jobs I have now?” So you see recruitment in the Philippines. Also, there’s another characteristic of the workforce, which is called engagement—knowing that the employer really cares about its employees. What is now the third biggest driver is the company’s reputation for social responsibility, such as going green. The whole issue of social responsibility is an attraction driver.
What unusual benefits are companies offering to attract and retain employees?
Hayes: More companies are offering flex-time and tele- or Internet commuting opportunities as perks. Technology is such that people can contribute and be productive around the clock and from nearly anywhere. Some companies recognize that, and are offering their employees the opportunity to spend some of their productive time virtually.
Mason: Participation in a summer hours program, flex time, work from home, fellowship opportunities, and extensive relocation assistance.
Grieman: There are an increasing number of companies offering partner relocation support: resume writing, networking, relocation services and helping the partner find a job. The companies recognize that it’s critical for the partner to have as good an experience with
St. Louis as soon as possible. Also, I’m seeing affinity groups form in the organization, and health and wellness centers. St. Louis is slow to evolve, but we are starting to see some really cool stuff happening.
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