HR Solutions Weblog

It's almost unheard of these days to send a paper copy of your resume to a job posting. With the advent of internet sites like Monster and CareerBuilder.com, applicants are using on-line resumes and cover letters or completing computer applications. On the hiring end, recruiters and Maryland human resources professionals are using social media to reach candidates. According to an article in the December issue of HRO Today, Aberdeen's Talent Acquisition Lifecycle report from September 2011 noted that 67 percent of organizations are training recruiters in the use of social media tools for recruiting. "Organizations are using social media in every area of talent acquisition, (including) sourcing, screening, assessment, hiring and onboarding," the article said.

Social media can be used at little or no cost to find leads, but it's important to also use strategic HR planning and traditional hiring tools in the process. Interviewing, background checking and references should all still be part of the plan, whether you are doing the hiring or you've enlisted an HR consultant. Although social media can reveal quite a lot about a candidate once you've gotten their application, old-fashioned face-to-face meetings are always important. Reviewing profiles on LinkedIn or Facebook can help you determine if the person would be a good fit for your company, before arranging a meeting. Also, networking through your own contacts on these sites and through the posting options they provide can help generate leads for the job.

Inc. Magazine suggests exploring niche social networks, as well. They recommend being prepared to act quickly to snap up the best talent who responds to any social networking recruiting, because the top talent seems to respond the quickest. Also, if you are looking for young, hi-tech talent types, instant messaging and texting are valuable communication tools.

If you're a small business that's seeing growth, or even a large corporation that has human resources needs, start thinking outside the box -- or outside your four office walls. Outsourcing may be for you. Human resources outsourcing providers, or HROs, can offer a myriad of services -- from talent management to employee handbook writing. HROs are more than just providers of software packages, and companies can pick and choose the services they outsource. In fact, a survey released by Aberdeen Group and described in the December issue of HRO Today magazine, showed that 48 percent of the 292 organizations surveyed say they outsource some -- not all -- core HR functions. Only two percent outsource all of them. Experts are calling it the "a la carte approach."

If you're thinking of outsourcing, consider doing some HR strategic planning. Human resource consulting firms aren't just for hiring quality candidates. Any one of your personnel requirements should be able to be handled by a qualified HR consulting firm. The firm should also be able to step up and meet your time frame. For example, changing benefits plans and administering a new plan can eat up a huge chunk of your time, but most plans need to be implemented quickly. Management of vacations, sick days, leaves of absence and FMLA time also are time-sensitive tasks. Make sure any firm you outsource has the people power to respond. Otherwise, they're not solving your problem -- you could do it yourself.

On less time-sensitive issues, make sure the firm is working toward the same goals you are. Give good direction for writing employee handbooks or creating training materials. The more information you provide up front, the more likely it is to come back correct the first time.

If you think out of the box for a number of your HR tasks, you can spend more time being creative about growing your core business, and making it work for you!

Adding to the short list of employee retention tips for Maryland Human Resources professionals, this week emphasizes the importance of keeping your best workers happy and motivated. Their motivation could lead them right out the door if they are not satisfied with the current work place. Try these for human resource strategic planning:

Set up clear expectations - this goes back to having good supervisors. Company leaders should communicate the goals, making sure supervisors understand the goals and how to reach them. Goals should be clear and measurable. Supervisors, in turn, must communicate exactly what they expect from their employees.

Allow suggestions and constructive feedback from employees - this is not a complaint box. If an employee has a complaint, encourage him or her to suggest a solution. Foster an environment of openness and security for brainstorming and communicating ideas. Employees should feel that their ideas are valued and heard.

Offer growth opportunities for employees -- HR management development training and skill-building activities will keep employees challenged and learning every single day. Let workers try something new that might increase their productivity or help them contribute more to the organization. Positioning these opportunities as rewards for work well done will keep smart employees motivated. To do this, you need to know each person's skills, talents and aspirations. Learn this by talking to them and their supervisors.

Be visible to your employees - let your staff know that you know they exist. Don't be the "Undercover Boss." Your employees should recognize you and know your philosophies. That way, they can help you achieve the company's goals. Face-to-face, personal communications with employees also affords you the opportunity to implement those often-overlooked retention strategies. You can personally say thank you, demonstrate team work and share some humorous moments. You can get feedback first-hand and show employees that you value both them and their ideas.

This year, resolve to keep your most valuable assets -- your employees.

Are you feeling the pressure of that mountain of good-intentioned, proactive ideas called, "New Year's Resolutions?" Is your plan to increase sales, implement human resources management training, and streamline the organization? When do you start?

It's the nature of the New Year's resolution. It's usually more grandiose than we can handle and more time-consuming than we realize. At HR Solutions, our resolution is to give you usable, timely information about HR strategic planning in this weekly blog. We're planning topics from employee communications to social media tips that you can read quickly and use wisely -- helping you to reach your resolutions.

Just as you've resolved to make changes, it's likely that your employees have too. The highly motivated employee is the one who will make resolutions realities -- both theirs and yours. These are the employees you want to keep. Don't let those super star performers resolve to find new jobs this year because they're unhappy. Losing them can be costly and crippling. According to About.com Human Resources, losing a middle manager can cost the company up to 100 percent of the employee's salary.

Some of the most obvious and easy employee retention tips are often overlooked, even by human resources consultants. Make it a point to:

Show appreciation -- say thank you for a job well done or work that goes above and beyond expectations. Those two sincere words go a long way in keeping people motivated. Consider bonuses and incentives like monetary rewards, tangible gifts or extra time off, as well.

Show team work -- if the boss is leaving at the stroke of 5:00 every day and the team is working until 7:00, something is wrong. Supervisors are key in retaining employees. Make sure your star performers have good managers and clear direction. About.com Human Resources lists the top complaints about supervisors: unclear expectations, unclear earning potential, failure to give performance feedback, failure to hold scheduled meetings, and the perception that they will not succeed in the work environment.

Encourage humor -- let your employees have fun. Humor is a way to boost morale. It makes it easier for employees to come to work, even in the face of adversity. A good laugh can be a good motivator.

Next week, look for more retention tips for Maryland HR professionals.