Employment and Career Resource Blog

* what are the changes in the workforce

* what they can do about it when implementing changes in their policies

* how to attract and retain talented employees

As an employee you want to select those companies that have taken an initiative to amend their programs regarding working environments, educational incentives, and diversified retention programs.

* In many of the urban communities, two thirds of the population are considered to be minorities.

So, what are employers doing to recruit, retain, educate and change the work environment to attract this workforce? Here’s what some of the best companies in America are doing.

• Care for an ailing family member
• To care for a new-born child
• For general medical leave from the jobMany employers have in the same vein provided for this law by doing the following:
• Extending longer family leave time, than mandated by federal law
• Providing for onsite or backup childcare
• Job sharing programs to permit family members to take extended days off
• Flexible time to start at varied hours or four day work weeks
• Enhanced productivity incentive awards, whereby reduced hours resulted in improved efficiencies
• Provide support and Employee Assistance Services to deal with personal issues and problems that arise out of taking care of a newborn or an aging family member.

• Companies are creating training programs that improve upon management’s ability to deal with workforce directional changes, and are enhancing managerial training in sexual harassment and diversity training. In addition they are investing significantly in employee training and in some cases providing over one full week of training for each employee regardless of level.
• Companies are instituting project teams designed to recommend/implement improved working conditions, which result in improved efficiencies.
• With unemployment hovering at a 30-year low, companies are attempting to also keep good workers at all levels. A very popular way is in providing options to ensure stock option exercise periods over time. Some are even going so far as to ensure job security.
• But more practical approaches are recognition programs and as noted above, improved working conditions and respect for family issues.
• Benefits programs are on the top of the scale, including significant matches in deferred compensation programs.
• On site day care, beauty care, dry cleaning, shoe repair

• The Internet — you can define your search via associations, work groups, web sites that address a certain business or background.
• Job fairs are being conducted in various cities, so as to attract aging or minority candidates.
• Certain educational institutions (due to the attraction to various segments in the workforce), are being targeted for on-site recruitment. In addition, such institutions host and have a following via alumni associations.

• Reductions in turnover
• Improved productivity measured by cost-effective programs, which resulted from continuity in employment and a more matured workforce
• Reductions in hiring costs
• Measured by performance rating averages generally going up
• Reduced safety issues
• Less incidence of absences due to work/family stressSo if you have not already done so, as an employer, look at the demographics of your employees and determine if you have sufficiently prepared yourself for the changing environment and have provided changes in your policies and practices that encourage the changing workforce to stay with you.

  Look for our next article on how as an employer you can design an effective internal job posting system to support internal mobility and to how you as an employee should pursue internal job opportunities.