Tag Archives: Relocate

How Do You Recruit and Retain the Best People? Three Suggestions

Situation: A company is losing employees. Not the top ones, but the 2nd level. It’s not a manner of money but other reasons. Some don’t like the developing culture of accountability. Others are younger high potential employees who have performed well but have left for unexplained reasons. How do you recruit and retain the best people?

Advice from the CEOs:

  • It’s important to learn why they are leaving.
    • It may be a millennial phenomenon – this group may regard work as a transitory necessity.
    • Determine whether it because of accountability or other reasons.
      • Could they be unhappy with the level of growth opportunity?
      • Previous generations were used to moving to move up – are the younger employees less prone to do this?
    • Could younger workers see work as a job, whereas previous generations saw work as their livelihood – as their life.
  • What options could be tried?
    • Set up a hiring plan – over-hire to assure availability of talent – 15 people in the next 3 months.
    • During the hiring process employ a focused interview diagnostic to identify the key factors that will boost in employee retention.
  • One CEO has suggested an approach:
    • Start with a volunteer employee focus group that holds a series of meetings over lunch.
    • Use company channels to ask for volunteers.
    • Allow the group to relax and open-up over time. Then begin to drill down to the real issues, including legacy issues.
    • Use feedback from the focus group meetings to design a survey to establish metrics, validate the findings of the focus group, and establish benchmarks for long-term attitude monitoring.

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How Do You Plan for Expansion? Four Considerations

Situation: A growing company needs new space for operations and back office functions. They have grown steadily over the last two decades. Prospects for the future are positive. Options include expansion near their current location or to another, lower cost city. The CEO is also considering whether to sublease space or rent. How do you plan for expansion?

Advice from the CEOs:

  • Consider whether the company needs to expand in one step or whether it is possible to expand in stages. Also consider whether functions will benefit by being close to the primary base or whether, using Internet and telecommunications, the new location can be remote. This requires a careful analysis of not only the company’s functions, but also the strength of the management team and the willingness of key managers to relocate.
  • There are trade-offs between subleasing and working directly with the landlord.
    • The landlord will generally offer market rates, but the company gets to determine the terms and term of the lease.
    • Subleasing can save money, but the company is then at the mercy of the priorities of the tenant from whom they are subleasing. When things get busy, the company may disrupt the operations of the tenant. In another company’s case this resulted in a forced move with 30 days’ notice at the end of their sublease term.
    • Consider the cost of both moving and having to re-outfit the space to meet the company’s needs against the savings from subleasing.
  • Consider leasing a larger space, one which is convenient and enough for the company’s needs, and then subleasing excess space until it is required. This may cost more short term, but it puts the company in charge of their own destiny regarding space availability and utilization.
  • Another option is to buy a building and sublease the excess space until it’s required for company operations.

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How Do You Attract Good Candidates for Open Positions? Six Suggestions

Situation: Despite high unemployment, a company is finding it difficult to attract qualified candidates for technical positions. Many applicants don’t possess the requisite skills, and recent graduates aren’t responding to job posts. What works best attracting good candidates for open positions?

Advice of the Forum:

  • There is a wide array of specialized online resources to help you find qualified candidates. As an example, for tech candidates, try DICE.com. For a reasonable cost, you can post position on DICE.com or get employer access to the database and search it yourself using key words.
  • Better results come through networking with vendors, suppliers and customers to identify currently employed and highly qualified candidates. This should be regular company practice.
  • It is feasible to hire nationally and to relocate. As long as the employees and young and not invested, relocation expenses are not severe, and the Bay Area is appealing to young workers.
    • For distant candidates, companies frequently use an initial telephone interview, and then bring qualified candidates to the office for a face-to-face 2nd interview.
  • Push current employees for referrals. Give them a reward for successful hires that stay with the Company for a pre-set time period.
    • One company pays $5-10K for referred employees who stay with the company for 1 year. This is inexpensive in comparison with recruiter costs.
  • There are some highly targeted recruiters in Silicon Valley who specialize in technology positions. Get to know these companies. They may already have candidates for your positions.
  • A number of companies have had success with semester or summer interns from local colleges and graduate schools. Current students are highly aware of the challenges finding a job once they graduate, and unemployment among recent graduates is very high.

Key Words: Human Resources, Candidate, Technical, Applicant, Job Post, Networking, DICE.com, Relocate, Referral, Recruiter, Intern

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